Every Book Tells It's Own Story
by JessieWills
Summary: Kate Beckett is in a relationship that's finally successful and has a job that she is happy doing but what happens when a new man turns up in her life who begins to change things? Will their new found friendship affect their lives? Will friendship ever turn into romance? Disclaimer: I don't own Castle, even though I would be very happy to accept that as a present!
1. Chapter 1

**Right so I've decided to start a new story, I will be continuing with Coffee and A New Dawn and all the other stories but I wanted to write something new as I'm bored of the summer holidays and therefore I decided to write this. I really hope you enjoy it and I promise, although it doesn't seem like it, it will be different to the Coffee series. **

**Also I really want to hear from you, your reviews mean a lot to me and I need to know whether you want more or not. **

"Thank you, thank you, thank you" Kate squealed as she stared at the sign in the bookstore window. Richard Castle, her favourite author, was signing books that very day and her boyfriend had surprised her by sneaking her here on her lunch break. Turning around to look at Will, Kate smiled as he laughed before leaning across to kiss her gently while the brunette clung onto the copy of the writer's book that she kept within her purse at all times. He knew this one was her favourite- mainly because of its well-read state and the water marks from her frequent bath reading sessions. "I thought you wanted to go for lunch, you told me that you wanted to go for lunch" she stated as Will shrugged, knowing that this meant a lot to her. He always caught her with a Richard Castle book when she was having down time on the couch and he couldn't pass the opportunity to make Kate happy by giving her this chance. A chance to talk to Richard Castle for the first time in her life!

"We'll go for lunch afterwards Kate, I told Montgomery you had a dentist appointment after lunch anyway so no one is going to miss you if we're really late" Will stated as she tightly wrapped her arms around his neck before pressing another kiss to his cheek and smiling up at him. He was definitely the best boyfriend she'd ever had in whole life. He understood the job and therefore didn't mind if she cancelled last minute and he also understood her. He understood how she worked and she loved that he didn't get angry or frustrated when she cancelled their plans last minute, usually because a case had been too hard and all she wanted was a bath and time to read her book alone. "Now go before the queue gets too long" he ordered as she laughed and nodded, quickly climbing out of the car before moving to shut the door. "Are you forgetting something?" he asked as she stared at him in confusion for a moment.

"What?" she asked quickly, laughing when he patted his middle finger against his lips while she rolled her eyes. "I'm sure you're just doing this for sexual favours Will Sorenson" she stated before leaning across to kiss him gently.

"Would you care if I was Beckett? You know you love the physical part of a relationship just as much as I do" he teased as she watched him for a moment, knowing that he was probably right. Did she really care about him doing this for sex? "Go, I'm going to wait for you so the longer you're here, the longer I'm bored" he warned as Kate laughed and quickly moved out of the car before slamming the door shut and walking towards the store. Pushing the door open, Kate sighed as she joined the long crowd of mainly women, unable to see the writer from where she was stood. It was obvious that Richard Castle who popular among the woman seeing that the building was filled with women in their best outfits with their arms tightly wrapped around their books. Lifting up her wrist, Kate sighed as she stared at the time her father's watch was saying before she looked across at the large line in front of her. She was going to be here for a while!

XOXOXOXOXOXOOX

"Next" a woman stated as Kate bit into her lip before approaching the desk to see the writer staring across at her with a small smile covering his face as she held her book out towards him, losing all her words. She must look like a complete idiot!

"Hi" the writer smiled as she bit into her lip for a moment. "Your name?" he asked, keeping the smile on his face as she continued to watch him for a moment.

"Beckett" she stated before groaning, realising that she wasn't at work. He wasn't a cop so why had she told him her last name? He was Richard bloody Castle and she'd already embarrassed herself twice within practically a minute.

"That's an interesting name" he laughed as she rolled her eyes at him.

"It's Katherine, Kate actually, Kate Beckett. Hi, I'm Kate" she blurted out as he nodded and slowly scribbled something into the front page of her book before smiling up at her for a moment, desperately trying not to laugh at her speech. "I'm sorry, I don't normally do these things I promise" she admitted as he laughed gently before shutting the book and staring at her, keeping the book on his desk as she waited patiently. Why wouldn't he just give her the book so she could leave and stop embarrassing herself?

"This isn't the new book" he stated as he looked down at the tattered copy before looking across at the name of his newest book that was covering the area he was sat around. However her book was clearly well loved and he couldn't help but smile at that.

"I know but this one's my favourite actually, I've read it about twenty times and I really wanted to get it signed" she explained as he nodded again as he lifted the book into his hands. "I know it's not the nicest looking book" Kate admitted as he shrugged.

"It's well loved, I like it when the book tells a story" he stated as she laughed again.

"What story does my book tell you then Richard Castle?" she asked, finally gaining the courage that she usually had at work. She could chase murderers but struggled to talk to her favourite writer like a sane person meaning there was clearly something wrong with her. Staring at the book in silence for a moment, Rick sighed as he relaxed back in his chair and watched her; knowing that Gina was starting to worry about him spending too much time with this one woman when the queue continued to grow.

"You have a job that takes up a lot of your time but when you have the chance you like to take some time to relax properly. You're one of those women who like their bubble baths and a glass of wine and a good book to read" he grinned as she laughed; realising that he'd described her to perfection. "Sometimes, you fall asleep in the bath because your job is tiring and you'll sleep wherever you get the chance" he added as she bit into her lip. "And even though this copy is practically ruined, you're keeping it because there's some personal attachment to it" he stated as she shut her eyes. How did he know that? How could he get that from a book?

"How did you get all of that from a book?" she asked quietly as he opened one of the pages to reveal the wine stains that were decorating the crinkled pages. "What about the personal attachment? How did you work it out?" she questioned as the writer smiled at her for a moment before changing the page to reveal the message she'd written years ago.

"Mom, he's finally written another one. See you in a couple of days when you reappear from your room saying how amazing his books are again before attempting to persuade me to read them! Maybe this time I will, love Katie" he read as she felt the tears appear in her eyes. Shit! She couldn't cry; she wasn't going to cry at her own message. Shutting her eyes for a moment, Kate quickly calmed herself before looking across at the writer again who was still flicking through her book. "Don't think that you know me because of that" she stated, remaining quiet as he finished writing a message before shutting the book and passing it to her. "Thank you" she whispered quietly, wanting to take back what she'd just said. She sounded selfish and she hated herself for that! He'd only done what she'd asked him to do and now she was being mean to him about it!

"It was nice meeting you Kate" he admitted as she smiled weakly.

"It was nice meeting you too, thank you for signing the book Mr Castle" she declared before slowly moving away from him. Turning around when she was a decent distance away, Kate bit into her lip as she watched the writer talk to a leggy blonde with a large smile covering his face. He was one of those men! Sighing, the brunette quickly turned around before leaving the store to see Will relaxing back in his seat with his eyes shut. She had abandoned him for an hour and a half to embarrass herself in front of an author she would never see again! Opening the car door, Kate quickly climbed in before shutting the door and staring across at her boyfriend whose eyes had opened and were now focused on her.

"So how was it?" he asked as she shut her eyes for a moment. "Come on, what did he write in your book Kate?" he questioned as he attempted to take it from her, kind of shocked when she pressed it close to her chest. Opening it slowly, Kate sighed as she watched him for a moment, unable to stop herself from blushing at the message. "Come on Kate, tell me what he wrote" Will moaned as she laughed at him for a moment. "It's nothing embarrassing is it?" he asked as she shook her head. "Did he try and ask you out because if I need to go in there and tell him that you're already in a serious relationship then I will?" he declared as she rolled her eyes at her boyfriend.

"Beckett, you need more wine and bubble bath time! Thank you for not being afraid to bring what you wanted instead of what was expected, never lose that! Richard Castle" she read as Will rolled his eyes before sighing and turning the car on, not noticing the piece of scrap paper that Kate had found with her message that contained a phone number and a small message.

_Maybe I can get to know you better one day and I can learn a few more stories your books hold Beckett, you really do seem extraordinary. Richard Castle. _


	2. Chapter 2

Hearing Will turn the shower on, Kate smiled as she quickly grabbed her book off the bedside table and found the writer's phone number. She'd been debating for the past few days about whether to call him and with Will leaving to go out of town because of work she'd decided that she wanted to talk to someone who wasn't connected to her world. She wanted to do something new and this was definitely new. She wasn't going to do anything with him! She wasn't going to flirt or do anything like that; she just wanted to get to know him! He was Richard Castle and his books had saved her so why couldn't she meet him? Talk to him for a few hours? It didn't have to go any further anyway, it was just one conversation. Dialling his number quickly, Kate sighed as she relaxed back and waited for someone to answer.

"Hello" a man yawned as Kate smiled weakly.

"Hi, can I speak to Richard Castle please?" she asked quietly as the man groaned down the line. "It's Beckett" she added as he fell silent.

"The woman with the amazing story book" Rick laughed as she laughed quickly. "Did you have some bath and wine time since I saw you because I think you needed more relaxing time Beckett?" he asked as she shook her head and continued to relax back against the cushions and sighed.

"I haven't had the time to actually Richard Castle, I've been busy with life" she admitted, her eyes shutting for a moment as she thought about the case that had just closed the previous evening and had ultimately ended with her being given the day off. "But I was thinking that maybe we could go for a coffee at some point" she added as the writer laughed. "Is that a really funny idea?" she asked quickly.

"No, I was actually just about to ask you" he declared as she smiled and heard the shower turn off in the en-suite. "Are you free today? I could do with a coffee today" he asked as she nodded to herself for a moment, watching as Will walked out of the en-suite with a towel wrapped around his hips.

"I am free today actually" she stated as Will turned to look at her in confusion. Who was she talking to? "When do you want to meet up?" she asked quickly as she smiled across at her boyfriend who shook his head and began to get dressed in silence. Listening to the writer's directions, Kate nodded again as Will sat down on the edge of the bed and began to pull his socks on as he remained silent. She knew that he was thinking about who she was talking too.

"So I'll see you there?" Rick asked happily as she laughed.

"I'll see you there" she stated before saying goodbye and putting the phone down. "Hi" Kate laughed as Will looked across at her before crossing his arms. "What's wrong grumpy FBI agent?" she smiled as she moved closer to him before kissing his cheek gently and running her fingers through his hair.

"Who was that?" he asked quickly.

"Lanie, she wants to meet for coffee so we can do our weekly girl talks session. She heard from Espo that I had the day off and therefore decided today's the day" Kate lied as he nodded slowly. "Aren't you running late for work?" she asked before he could say anything except swear loudly and stand, looking around the room for his shoes.

"Kate where are my shoes?" Will questioned.

"Wherever you kicked them off last night" she declared, lying back down in her bed as he threw a t-shirt at her before getting on his knees and looking under the bed. Watching as Will continued to search under the bed, Kate laughed as she heard Will bang his head underneath her. "Be careful, I don't want you damaging my bed" she stated as the agent laughed before shuffling out from under the bed with a box in his hands. "What are doing with that?" she asked in shock as she took it from him and stared at him, confusion covering his face as he looked at the box she was clinging onto.

"Kate" he whispered as she shook her head and slid the box under her blanket before forcing a smile onto his face. "I need to go to work, I'll see you later if you want" he declared as he stood up and watched her for a moment. Why was she acted so weird? This was his Kate, his funny Kate and yet here she was being defensive. "I have spare shoes in the car" he added, looking down at his sock covered feet before leaning down to press a kiss into Kate's hair and moving away. Watching as her boyfriend disappeared out of her bedroom, Kate slowly moved to lift the box out from under the blanket to remove the lid and stare at the image of her mother that was beaming back at her, tears filling her eyes as she shook her head and closed it. She couldn't do this! She'd given the case up; she'd given the case up when she'd met Will and decided to get on with her life, even though she'd never told him about her mom!

XOOXOXOXOXOXO

Pushing the door open to the coffee shop, Kate sighed as she saw the writer sat in the back of the busy coffee shop with a small smile covering his face when he noticed her. Slowly approaching the table, Kate smiled as she sat down opposite him and laughed. She was really sat opposite Richard Castle, her favourite writer!

"Hi" he said as she nodded and relaxed back for a moment, still trying to take everything in. She was actually having coffee with Richard Castle. "Do you want me to get you a coffee?" he asked quickly as she shook her head and stood up, grabbing her wallet as the writer groaned. "Let me buy you a coffee" he begged as she rose her eyebrows.

"I'm here because I want to get to know you, not because I want your money. I'm not interested in your money and I'm not interested in you trying to buy me so yeah" she stated as the writer laughed and nodded, realising this was one independent woman who he didn't want to get on the wrong side. "Also I'm in a relationship so I'm not here to sleep with you either" she added with a smile on her face.

"It's good that I'm in a relationship as well then Beckett" he laughed, thinking about his blonde publisher for a moment before watching as the brunette moved to join the queue for coffee. Approaching him with her coffee a few moments later, Kate sighed as she sat in her seat again before they both burst into laughter. "I'm glad we got that out now" he admitted as she nodded in agreement. "So what's your boyfriend like?"

"He's nice, career driven like me and he's fun. He's what I need" she listed as she sighed, realising that she was horrid to Will this morning and that she'd broken his trust when she'd told him that she was with Lanie and not Richard Castle. "What about your girlfriend?" she asked, confused about why they were discussing this even though this wasn't awkward. She was actually enjoying having someone to talk too, someone who wasn't involved in the police force or murder. He was a writer, he was different to her other friends.

"She's my publisher and she's dating me so she can kick my ass" he stated as she burst into laughter, the writer shrugging as he took in that he was probably telling the truth about his relationship. His relationship with Gina was practically built on his need for his daughter to have a mother figure, sex and Gina kicking his ass whenever he got too close to a deadline without enough work. "You said you met your boyfriend through work" he commented as she nodded. "What do you do?" he asked.

"Why don't you try and guess?" she teased as he groaned and laughed before nodding. He could do this. He could guess what her career was easily. "You have three chances".

"A model" he stated quickly as she laughed and shook her head. He thought she could be a model? "How are you not a model Beckett? You are completely model potential. How has no one made you a model?" he questioned as she rolled her eyes.

"I'm not a model" she said happily as the writer shrugged. "And my name is Kate, you can call me Kate" she stated as the writer nodded and smiled.

"Hello Kate, I'm Rick" he declared, holding his hand out towards her as she laughed and shook his hand.

"Hello Rick" she beamed before relaxing back. "Two more guesses Rick" she stated as he smiled.

"Actress" he declared as she shook her head again. "You're really missing out Kate; you'd be amazing in the entertainment business. Modelling, dancing, acting, I think everyone would like you" he explained as she shrugged.

"I've never been interested in the entertainment business" she declared as he sighed and tried to think of another job. She wasn't in the entertainment business so what else could she do? What else could Kate Beckett do? "One more try Rick" she smiled as he groaned and glared across at her for a moment.

"Lawyer" he blurted out as she shook her head. "I was sure I'd gotten it right" he moaned as she smiled and took a sip of her coffee. "Come on then, what do you do for a living Kate Beckett?" he asked as she shook her head again, enjoying teasing him. "You know what I do for a living" he stated.

"The whole world knows what you do for a living" she laughed as he shrugged, realising that he'd just lost that argument. "But I'll tell you what I do for a living because your guesses were miles away really" she stated as he nodded and smiled. "I'm actually a cop" she stated.

"No you're not" he responded as she laughed and removed her badge to show him. "Oh my god, you really are a cop" he said in shock as she nodded. "I wouldn't have ever said that you were a cop" he declared as she smiled weakly, thinking about how she wasn't supposed to be a cop. She wanted to be a lawyer, she wanted to be just like her mom and yet here she was! A cop! "So Will's a cop?" he asked.

"An FBI agent" she stated as he nodded slowly. "We met on a case, became friends and well here we are" she smiled, staring down at her coffee as he watched her for a moment. "Sorry, you don't want to hear about my boyfriend" she laughed as he shrugged. "Tell me about you, you have a daughter?" she asked as he nodded and removed a photo of Alexis out of his wallet before passing it to her. "She's beautiful and a very redheaded child".

"She takes after her mother and my mother, she got the ginger genes" he smiled as Kate nodded and laughed, still staring down at the picture of the young redhead who was sat beside her father, the two of them smiling at the camera. "She mother's me, she's always awake before me and she wakes me up and she's always doing her work. She's going to be a genius and I have no idea where she got it from because she didn't get it from me and she definitely didn't get it from Meredith" he stated as Kate listened to him before passing him the photo.

"I think you're cleverer than you think Rick" she admitted as he watched her for a moment. "Look at what you write, you have this amazing way with words and you might not be academically clever but you're a genius when it comes to your work" she stated as he smiled at her.

"No one's ever said that to me before. I like it actually" he whispered as she smiled at him for a moment, glad that she'd told him that. "You seem a wonderful woman Officer Beckett, a really wonderful woman".

"Detective Beckett actually" she stated as shock covered his face. "I got made a detective last month actually" she smiled as he laughed.

"Congratulations, you must be good then" he declared as she laughed and shrugged.

"I hope I'm good, I really hope that I'm good at what I do" she admitted as she sighed and relaxed back in her chair, amazed that it wasn't as awkward as she thought it was going to be. She was comfortable talking to him and she liked that feeling. She liked being able to talk to someone new. "I still can't believe that I'm actually here" she stated as he smiled.

"I know, being in my presence is awe inspiring" he declared as she shook her head and laughed. "But it's nice being here, it's nice being here talking to someone who isn't a publisher or a writer or an actress or a model" he admitted as she laughed at him at his list of people.

"Well it is nice not talking to a cop or an FBI agent or the family of the victims or ME's" she stated as his eyebrows rose. "What now?" she laughed.

"What type of detective are you?" he asked.

"Homicide" she stated.

"We are going to be good friends you and me, I can see this going very well Kate Beckett" he declared as she laughed before sighing and taking another sip of her coffee, realising that through their discussion she'd managed to finish it. "Want another one?" he asked.

"I'm still paying for my own Richard Castle" she smiled.

"I wouldn't even fight you on that Kate, I promise" he stated as she nodded and told him her order before passing him the money, watching as he walked off to order their coffees.

**Thank you for your amazing response to the last chapter, every review, follow and favourite made me smile and I really hope you enjoy this chapter. I know this story had a lot of the Will/Kate relationship in but I wanted to show you her situation and then I'll show you some of Rick's as well. Please review again, I love hearing from you and it's fantastic to know your opinions. Also if you want to see anything in this story do tell me, I love to try and put things in that you want as well. **


	3. Chapter 3

"Do you really have to go out with_ her_ tonight? Can't you stay here with me?" Alexis asked as her father entered the room to see the redhead sat on her bed with one of her newest books. "We could watch a movie or something like that?" the girl suggested as Rick sighed and sat down on the edge of his daughter's bed. He wanted too! He wanted to stay with his daughter for the evening and read but instead he had promised to go to a new club with Gina in the hope of improving their relationship. For the past few weeks all they'd done was fight and he wanted to try and make it work so he'd agreed to come with her tonight, even though all he wanted was to stay in with his daughter and do something with her.

"Pumpkin this relationship is important to me and I want to try and make it work" he whispered as the redhead shrugged and relaxed back in her bed, still staring at her father as he watched her silently for a moment. "You like Gina don't you pumpkin?" he asked quietly.

"She's okay I guess" she stated as Rick smiled weakly before leaning across to gently press a kiss to her forehead before standing up and groaning, knowing that Gina was probably waiting impatiently downstairs and annoying his mother with her comments. Turning his daughter's light off, Rick sighed as he slowly walked out of his daughter's bedroom before moving downstairs to see his girlfriend sat on the couch in a tight red dress while his mother practically threw back whatever she was drinking in one gulp.

"Finally! Richard your daughter isn't two, she doesn't need a bedtime story every night" Gina said harshly as she stood up and pulled her coat on before looking across at her boyfriend again. "Hurry up, we'll never get there" she stated, moving towards the door as Martha pulled a face at the younger woman which almost made her son burst into hysterics. "Richard Castle, we're leaving now" she hissed as the writer nodded and practically chased after her as she began to leave the apartment. Approaching the elevator with his girlfriend in silence, Rick sighed as he looked across at the blonde who was already running her fingers through her hair, indicating that she was fed up. "Isn't it time that Alexis started growing up Rick? You can't baby her forever; she honestly doesn't need all these bed time stories and cuddles".

"And I don't baby her Gina, Alexis is very mature actually" he insisted as she shrugged and entered the metal box as the writer sighed. "But Alexis loves it when we read books at night, it's our thing and we like doing it" he stated as the blonde shrugged again, not caring about what he had to say. He knew that Gina didn't really care about Alexis, she basically put up with her because Alexis came with Rick but he was beginning to feel like Gina was only dating him to get the work she needed to get on with her own job.

XOXOXOXOXOXXOXO

Looking across the dance floor, Kate Beckett sighed as she untied her hair and felt the dark curls fall over her shoulders as she stared at the tight dress she was wearing. She'd been made to attend this undercover mission which had forced her to flirt with the murderer of four young brunettes' before they had the evidence they needed and Ryan and Esposito were finally able to arrest him. Running her up to the bruise that was starting to form under her eye, Kate groaned as the barman approached her area of the bar and she was finally able to order the drink that she needed.

"For god's sake Gina, this is starting to get ridiculous" a familiar voice practically shouted as Kate turned to see Richard Castle stood by the crowded dance floor, staring across the dance floor at a blonde who was surrounded by at least four young ad fit men. So this was the Gina he was dating! "We come here for a reason and you've not spent one minute with me yet" he declared as the blonde laughed and shrugged before walking over and draping her arms around him.

"Richard, Richard, Richard all I'm doing is having some fun. That's why we've come here, we've come here to have some fun" she practically slurred as Kate felt her body tense. This woman was treating him like crap and she hated that. Richard Castle was her friend in a strange way! They'd met for two coffees so far and in total had spent four hours together, just talking about their lives and she cared about him. They were friends and she hated that this woman was treating him like crap! "Why don't you get me a drink?" the blonde giggled as she pressed a kiss to his cheek, the writer nodding as he sighed and turned to walk towards the bar while Gina approached the four men again to start dancing with them. Staring across at the writer as he approached the other side of the bar, Kate felt the small smile cover her face before she slowly moved towards the writer and tapped his shoulder.

"Gina if that's you…" he moaned as he turned and laughed. "You're definitely not Gina" he stated as Kate shook her head and smiled at him. "Have you been fighting someone?" he asked as confusion covered her face. What was he talking about? "Your eye Kate" he stated, a laugh leaving her lips as she remembered the bruise that was starting to form.

"I got punched but I'm fine" she declared as he nodded slowly, unable to take his eyes off the dark bruise that was starting to form around her green eye. "So you're here with the girlfriend then?" she asked as the writer nodded and looked across to see the blonde grinding up against one of the many men that were surrounding her. "Is she always like that?" Kate questioned as the writer shrugged, knowing that she was. "Do you want to go and sit down Rick? She looks too busy for her drink" she stated as the writer nodded and followed the brunette towards an empty booth.

"You haven't been answering my calls" he stated after they'd both taken a sip of their drinks.

"I've been busy but I've just closed a major case so I'm free tomorrow if you want to do something" she stated as the writer nodded slowly. He liked Kate, she was fun and different to everyone else he knew and he liked spending time with her. They talked about comics and movies and debated about who the best superheroes were and he loved that- he loved having someone to talk to! "I'm really sorry I haven't been answering your calls, it's been a nightmare at the moment" she admitted as the writer nodded slowly, understanding that. She was a cop and she was busy, he didn't blame her for that.

"It's fine, tell me about your case" he whispered as she bit into her lip. She didn't want to tell him, she didn't want to relive the fear she'd felt when the murderer had her pushed up against the wall with a knife pressed against her hip. He hadn't hurt her but the fear she'd felt had been terrifying and she was never going to get used to being in that situation. "Kate?" he whispered, noticing the change in her expression as she reached across for her drink and took another sip of the strong liquid.

"I was scared Rick, I was really scared" she admitted as the writer stared at her for a moment. Did he hug her? Would she hit him if he hugged her? He wanted to hug her, he wanted to try and make her feel better because she was obviously upset. Moving closer to her slowly, Rick smiled weakly as she stared at him with tears appearing in her eyes.

"What happened?" he whispered, her head shaking as she went to grab her drink, gasping when the writer gently took hold of her wrist. "Don't drink your problems away, it doesn't make anything easier Kate" he muttered, not realising that she already knew that. She knew what drink did to a person after watching her father slowly disappear and be replaced by an angry and lost man who she didn't want to know. "Look Gina's clearly busy and won't care if I slip out so I can take you home" he stated as shock covered her face. He was going to leave his girlfriend here alone to take her home? "Come on, have you got a jacket?" he asked as she shook her head and slowly stood up as the writer smiled across at her.

"You don't have to take me home Rick, I can get a cab" she stated as he shrugged and walked towards the exit with her. "You can't just leave Gina here, you're supposed to be leaving with your girlfriend not with me" she explained as he shrugged and left the building as Kate groaned and followed him.

"Kate there's something wrong and I'm your friend, I want to help you" he stated before falling silent for a moment. "Unless Will's at home" he whispered as she shook her head and sighed, the writer watching as she began to walk down the street. "Do you want to get a cab?" he asked quickly as she shook her head and laughed at him for a moment as the writer ran over to join her.

"It's a nice night Rick and I don't live that far away, two blocks actually" she stated as he nodded and began to follow her down the street. Remaining in silence for the rest of their journey, Rick sighed as they stopped outside an apartment building and Kate smiled at him. "This is me, do you want a coffee?" she asked as the writer stared at her for a moment. "And the whole point of you walking me home was so we could talk so of course you're going to come up for a coffee" she stated as the writer nodded and laughed, following Kate into the building before approaching the elevator and walking into the metal box as the brunette sighed.

"So what does Will think about you being friends with me?" he asked quickly as she bit into her lip. She was still lying to her boyfriend about this! Phone calls and meetings with Rick had been made into Lanie filled events and he believed her and she didn't know how to make it better, she didn't know how to admit that she'd lied because she was scared of what he was going to think and whether he was going to worry about Rick's so called history with women. "So you haven't told him about me?" he asked as she shook her head. "I haven't told Gina about you" he admitted.

"I'm worried that he'll think I'm cheating, you're not known for having the best reputation Rick" she stated as the writer nodded, knowing that Kate wasn't wrong. He'd been seen as a bad boy in the papers and he knew that he couldn't blame Kate for being nervous about admitting their friendship to her boyfriend. "I'm sorry, I am going to tell him at some point" she promised.

"Kate I do understand, I understand that you're nervous. I'm not the good guy that men want hanging around their girlfriends and an FBI agent would probably do a background check on me and find out all my secrets" he declared as they stepped out of the elevator and began to walk towards her apartment, the writer smiling as she unlocked the door and stepped into the darkness. Turning the light on, Kate smiled as the writer entered her apartment and smiled at everything in her home. It was Kate Beckett to perfection with mismatched cushions and books piled everywhere. "This is amazing" he stated as she laughed.

"I bet your apartment is better Rick, you're going to have all these amazing things" she stated as he shrugged, taking everything in as she smiled and approached the kitchen to make two coffees. Carrying the two mugs towards the couch, Kate smiled as the writer moved to sit beside her before she sighed and stared down at her dress. "I'm just going to change, get comfy and enjoy your coffee" she smiled as the writer nodded and watched as she disappeared into another room; reappearing a few moments later in a pair of sweats and a t-shirt with her dark hair pulled away from her face.

"Are you going to tell me about your case then?" he asked as she groaned and shut her eyes before relaxing back into the corner of her couch. "Come on, something's wrong and as your friend I want to help" he stated as she laughed and took her coffee from the table while the writer continued to watch her. "Kate" he whispered.

"This man had murdered four young brunettes and I was asked to go undercover, we had to find him and we needed to get enough evidence to arrest him" she stated as he nodded slowly. "I had to flirt with this man who had destroyed four families and he led me outside the club and then he…" Kate began as Rick reached across and took hold of her hand as the brunette shut her eyes.

"He didn't?" Rick whispered as she shook her head and stared at him for a moment.

"He pressed me against the wall and he had this knife at my hip and he was telling me all these disgusting things about what he'd done to these other women and fortunately Espo and Ryan came before he could do anything to me but he did hit me in the face when they handcuffed him" she stated as the writer nodded and pulled her close for a moment as a tear began to run down her cheek. "I was so scared, I was scared that they weren't going to make it in time" she whispered as he stared at her for a moment. "I didn't want to look like this weak little girl at work Rick, I'm like the only woman there and I have to be strong but I was so scared and I was keeping it all in and then I found you and you were so kind and now I'm crying" she moaned as she quickly shut her eyes while the writer laughed and hugged her. "I'm such a wimp".

"You're not a wimp" he stated as the brunette looked up at him for a moment. "Kate Beckett you went and stood beside a murderer, a murderer who was killing women like you" he declared as she bit into her bottom lip for a moment. "Every day you're giving people justice, the justice that they need and I think that makes you really brave" he smiled as she continued to watch him. "I'm the coward in this room".

"Coward? How are you a coward?" she asked as he shut his eyes for a moment. He could talk to Kate, he trusted Kate and he needed to talk to someone who wouldn't go back to Gina and tell her everything.

"Alexis wanted me to stay home tonight, she was desperate for me to stay tonight and yet I told her I couldn't stay because I had to come out with Gina tonight. I was too scared to risk my relationship to tell the woman I can barely stand at the moment that I didn't want to go out with her because I wanted to spend time with my little girl tonight" he whispered as Kate nodded slowly and watched him as he groaned. "It's always been Alexis and me really and I'm abandoning her, that's what it feels like to me. I feel like I've abandoned my little girl and I hate that" he stated as she squeezed his hand.

"I'm sure Alexis doesn't feel like that Rick, I'm sure Alexis understands, she sounds like a clever girl whenever you talk about her" she smiled as the writer watched her for a moment before they both heard a door creak open. Turning her body, Kate felt the shock cover her face as Will walked in; shock covering his face at the sight of the man who was sat beside his girlfriend.

"Kate?" the agent asked as the brunette stood up and walked towards him as she smiled weakly and leant up to kiss him; not surprised when he pushed her away from him. "What's going on? Who's this?" he questioned as Rick stood up and stared at the gent for a moment. This was Will, Kate's boyfriend!

"Will, this is Richard Castle, the author" she stated as confusion covered her boyfriend's face. "Will, I need to tell you something".

"Are you sleeping with him Kate?" he asked as she shook her head and looked across at the writer who was remaining perfectly silent.

"No, no I'm not sleeping with him" she promised as he continued to watch her for a moment. "Will, Rick and I have been meeting for coffee but I didn't know how to tell you for that exact reason" she stated as the remained completely silent. "Rick's really great and he's an amazing friend but I'm not sleeping him and I'm sorry I lied to you but I was scared that you'd freak out and I'm sorry Will" she blurted out as the agent laughed and wrapped his arms around her as Rick watched in silence. "What are you doing here anyway? You're supposed to be working tonight" she asked as her boyfriend stared down at her.

"Closed the case, thought I'd surprise the woman in my life" he stated as he leant down and kissed her quickly before glaring across at the writer. "I actually thought we could get some catch up time, I've hardly seen you Kate" he stated as Rick grabbed his jacket, watching as the brunette stared at him for a moment.

"Rick you don't need to go" Kate said quietly as he shook his head and began to walk towards the door, the brunette moving out of Will's arms before following the writer out of the apartment. "You really don't have to go, you haven't finished your coffee yet" she stated as he smiled at her. "I didn't know that Will was just going to turn up, he usually phones".

"Kate it's fine, he's your boyfriend and he's allowed to surprise you, it's sweet actually" he declared as she smiled at him briefly, realising that it was kind of sweet that Will had made the effort to come and surprise her. "Maybe we could meet up in a couple of days if you like?" he suggested as Kate nodded and smiled at him.

"I'd like that" she admitted as he smiled at her before moving towards the elevator. "Rick" she called out as he stopped and turned to look at her. "Spend tomorrow with Alexis, tell your girlfriend to go away and spend the day with your daughter. You need it" she stated as he nodded, watching as she disappeared into her apartment.

**So what do you think? I really hope you enjoy this and please review, I love hearing from you. **


	4. Chapter 4

"Excuse me I'm looking for a Detective Beckett" a familiar voice said behind her in the distance as Kate flung her body around and stared at the writer who was standing by the elevator with a uniform who was now pointing towards her while Rick's smile continued to grow. Standing quickly, Kate walked towards him before silently grabbing his arm and dragging him into the break room while Javier and Kevin watched her before turning around to gossip as she slammed the door shut. "Hi" Rick smiled as she closed the blinds and stared at him for a moment. "I know, I shouldn't come and see you at work but you've not been answering the phone and I was worried" he admitted, the stern look on her face being replaced with a relaxed smile.

"I'm sorry, work's been a nightmare right now and I had to drive Will to the airport last night" she explained as he nodded slowly before holding out the coffee he was clutching onto in his hand. "Is that for me?" she asked as he nodded, her hand moving to take it from him before she looked up at him with a small smile decorating her face. "Thank you" she whispered before taking a sip of the warm liquid. "I'm sorry for dragging you in here".

"I'm sorry for just turning up at your work" he stated as she shrugged. "I hope you weren't doing anything important" he whispered as she laughed and moved to sit down at the table, the writer doing the same after a few moments.

"I'm just doing paperwork, things are calming down now that we closed the case. I was actually about to call you to see if you were free to do something tonight" she admitted as the writer smiled. "You're probably doing something with Gina but Will's out of town and I'm probably going to have tomorrow off so we could do something" she said weakly as the writer shook his head, knowing that Gina was out of town and his daughter was away at her mother's for the week.

"Alexis and Gina are both out of town so I'm free to do whatever you want to do" he stated as she beamed, unable to stop herself from groaning with Esposito banged on the door and pushed it open with Kevin standing behind him; both men staring at her and the writer as their smiles continued to grow.

"What do you want guys?" Kate asked quickly, taking a sip of her coffee as she relaxed back in the chair. "Please don't tell me that there's another case" she begged, shocking her colleagues as she glanced across at the writer for a brief second before looking across at the two detective's again.

"No, Captain told us to leave now. We've got tomorrow off so he wants us to go home and enjoy it" Javier explained as she nodded slowly before they fell silent again. "Are you going to introduce us to your friend?" he asked as she rolled her eyes.

"Rick these are my colleagues Javier Esposito and Kevin Ryan" she explained as the writer smiled and nodded slowly at them as they watched him for a moment. "Ryan, Esposito this is my friend Rick Castle" she stated as shock covered the two men's faces, Ryan's mouth moving to speak as she glared at him. "Don't you dare Kevin Ryan, don't you dare" she warned.

"What? What's he not allowed to do?" Rick asked as Javier laughed, unable to stop himself from smiling as Kate and Kevin glared across at each other for a moment.

"Beckett's always reading your books, she always has one in her bottom desk drawer" Kevin blurted out, the brunette standing as Kevin moved further behind his partner in an attempt to protect himself from her glare. "Sorry Beckett" he called out from behind Javier as the writer laughed and looked across at his friend who was still staring at her colleagues.

"Kate I'm hungry, let's go and eat" the writer moaned as Kate rolled her eyes and turned to look at him for a moment, unable to stop herself from laughing at the pout that was now covering his face.

"Oooh, he calls you Kate" Kevin and Javier teased as she turned and began to walk towards them, the two men practically running out of the room as the writer continued to laugh as she shut the door and turned to look at him.

"Do you really keep one of my books in your bottom drawer?" he questioned as she shrugged and took her finishing sip of her coffee before throwing it into the bin.

"That's for me to know and you to never know" she stated as the writer groaned, laughing as the woman opened the door and walked out of the room with her. Moving towards her desk, Kate grabbed her jacket off the back of her seat before turning to look at the writer who was staring down at the bottom drawers of her desk. "For god's sake Rick" she moaned, leaning down to open the left bottom drawer to reveal the battered copy of his book that was balancing on the top of a collection of folders.

"He wasn't lying" Rick commented.

"No he wasn't, I do keep a book in the drawer for nights when I'm waiting for something to happen. They sometimes make me think and they sometimes just take me away for a while and now I'm embarrassed" she stated as the writer smiled and pushed the drawer shut before taking her jacket from her.

"Detective Beckett, let's go for lunch" he stated as she nodded and slowly walked towards the elevator with him, unable to stop herself from smiling as they entered the metal box together. "So where's Will flown off too?" he asked quickly as the brunette groaned.

"Boston" she stated as he nodded slowly. "He seems to spend more time there than here at the moment" she admitted, falling silent when the doors opened and they walked out together towards her car. "Sometimes I think there's someone else in Boston" she admitted as she climbed into the car, shocking him as he sat down in the seat beside her and turned to look at her as she shut the door and rested her forehead against the steering wheel.

"Kate" he whispered; her head shaking as she remained perfectly still and groaned before sitting up and brushing her hair away from her face before turning to look at him. "I've only met Will once and he seemed obsessed with you Kate, he loves you" he stated as she smiled weakly and nodded before turning the car on. "You okay?" he asked quietly.

"I'm fine, just tired. I don't think I've stopped yet" she admitted as the writer sighed and looked at her for a moment. "Right where do you want to go for lunch?" she asked as he smiled at her for a moment. "What?" she questioned.

"I know somewhere actually" he stated before reciting his home address, not informing her that it was where he lived instead of a restaurant. Remaining quiet as she pulled out of her cark park space, Kate attempted to work out what restaurant was at the address he'd just given her. There wasn't one!

XOOXOXOXXOXOXOO

"Rick there's no restaurant here, you liar" she moaned as she pulled into the car park that he'd ordered her to go into. Parking the car, Kate quickly turned to look at the writer who was smiling at her with a guilty look covering his face as crossed her arms and glared at her. "Castle where are we?" she asked as he undid his seatbelt and climbed out of the car, leaving her in the car in silence before she laughed and climbed out after him. "Rick where are we?"

"It's a surprise, just enjoy the mystery of it Kate, it's not going to kill you" he stated as the brunette groaned before rolling her eyes and following him towards the elevator. Standing there in silence, Kate sighed as she looked across at the writer who was tapping his fingers against the wall. Yawning, Kate quickly covered her face with her hand as Rick laughed and shook his head at her before the door opened and Kate stared out at the corridor in front of her.

"We're defiantly not in a restaurant Richard Castle" she stated as the writer nodded and stepped out, taking a set of keys out of his pocket as the brunette slowly followed him. Where the hell was she? Stopping outside a door, Rick smiled as he turned to face the detective who was staring at him before yawning again, embarrassment covering her face as the writer laughed gently and unlocked the door, revealing his apartment to her. "Is this…?" she asked quietly as Rick nodded.

"This is my home, come on in" he smiled as shock covered her face. Was she really about to enter Rick Castle's home? "Kate, you're tired and you literally look like you're about to fall asleep where you are so I didn't want to risk you falling asleep in your food so I've brought you to where there's a spare bed and whatever food you want" he stated as she groaned at him while Rick shut the door and watched her lean down to remove her heeled boots before she turned to look around at him, her arms wrapping around her chest as he stared at her. "Come on, spare room" he ordered, another moan leaving her lips as he shoved her gently in the direction of the stairs.

"You could have just taken me home" she whispered as he shook his head at her. "Rick, I have a nice bed at home, I have my bed at home" she stated.

"I don't care Kate, I wasn't' going to leave you alone and I haven't seen you in almost a week" he declared, walking up the stairs with her as she began to yawn again, her body cuddling into his side as he led her towards the spare bedroom, his free hand pushing the door open to reveal the smaller of his bedrooms. "The en-suite's through there and there are spare towels in there as well if you want to shower, I'll even bring up some sweats and a t-shirt if you want something to sleep in" he declared as she nodded and smiled across at him, watching as he disappeared from sight for a moment. Looking around the room, Kate smiled as she stared at the image of Rick and his daughter that was resting on the bedside table; the redhead beaming in her father's arms as Kate laughed and sat down on the edge of the bed for a moment. Hearing a knock at the door, the brunette smiled as the door opened slightly and Rick walked in with a pile of clothes in his hands. "Do you want anything to eat?" he asked.

"Are you my personal waiter?" she asked as he shrugged and laughed for a moment, watching as she held up his t-shirt, a laugh leaving her lips at the batman image that decorated the black t-shirt. "I love batman" she admitted.

"You just become a better friend everyday" he stated as she rolled her eyes and relaxed back on the bed for a second. "Want me to wake you up at some point?" he asked as she looked across at the alarm clock that rested beside the bed.

"Wake me up in a couple of hours" she whispered as Rick nodded and slowly walked towards the room. "Rick" she called out, stopping him for a moment before he turned and watched her for a second. "Thank you, I don't think I've ever had a friend who's forced me to go to bed instead of going to lunch" she whispered as he shrugged before quietly leaving the room and shutting the door behind him. Standing up as she went to remove her shirt, Kate smiled as she realised how lucky she was to have Richard Castle in her life as her friend. He cared about her and she needed that, she needed someone who cared about her.

XOOXOXOXOOXXOXO

Pushing the door open quietly, Rick smiled as he stared at the brunette who was lying in the middle of the bed fast asleep, her dark hair covering the white pillows as she kept the blanket pulled over her. Sitting down on the edge, Rick smiled as he watched her for a moment before groaning. She said to wake her up after two hours and it had now been four but he didn't want to disturb her when she looked so peaceful.

"Kate" he whispered quietly, laughing when she groaned and turned her body away from him. "Kate you need to wake up now" he declared, rolling his eyes when she pulled the blanket over her head, obviously waking up now. "Kate you've been asleep for four hours" he stated.

"Four hours?" she asked quietly from underneath the blanket. "I thought you were going to wake me up after two hours Rick?" she whispered quietly, turning again before slowly moving the blanket down so her eyes were looking at him as he smiled at her. "Hi" she smiled from underneath the duvet as he nodded at her.

"Hello Kate" he declared, smiling when she moved away slightly before pulling the blanket down more and yawning again, her body stretching out as she relaxed and watched him for a moment.

"Lie down next to me for a second" she whispered, confusion covering her face as she stared at him before grabbing his hand and pulling him down so he was lying in the space beside her above the blanket, the two of them staring at the ceiling. "You're the first friend I've had who's done this for me" she admitted as he turned his head to look at her in confusion. "I've never had a friend who's practically dragged me into their spare bedroom and demanded that I go to sleep" she smiled as the writer nodded and laughed. "You brought me a coffee into work and you've driven me home from an undercover mission even though I told you not too, I don't think anyone would fight me on that except you" she stated as he laughed and stared at her.

"Kate, I sometimes look at you and I see this confident woman who could fight the whole world but the rest of the time when we're together, I see someone different, someone who's shy and afraid" he admitted as she bit into her lip for a moment, unable to stop herself from shutting her eyes. "And I want to look after you because you look scared of something and I don't think you tell many people about it".

"How do you do that?" she asked. "You did it when we first met and you're doing it again, you're reading me like I'm a book and I don't like it" she stated as they fell silent for a moment before she turned on her side to stare at him as he looked up at the ceiling and sighed. "Rick, I don't want to tell you, I don't want to lose your friendship when you learn how screwed up my life is" she admitted quietly.

"Does Will know Kate? Does he know how you feel?" he asked quickly, hoping that he didn't. Why did Will deserve to know and he didn't? Of course, Will was her boyfriend and he was just a friend that she was still getting to know! But they were lying on the same bed, she was dressed in his clothes and they were being open with each other. Didn't that mean something?

"No one really knows about it, I don't like to talk to people about it Rick" she admitted as he sighed. "It's not exactly a conversation starter and it's personal" she explained, trying to tell him in some way that she wasn't ready to tell him yet. "Please don't try and force me into telling you Rick because I don't want to lose this friendship, this means a lot to me" she whispered as he nodded and smiled at her, the two of them falling silent again before Kate's stomach started to rumble at the lack of food.

"Let's get something to eat, you're obviously hungry" he declared, standing up before pulling her out of the bed as she laughed and stared at him. "I'll never force you to tell me, I want to be your friend, I don't want you to be nervous around me, I just want you to be Kate for once instead of Detective Beckett" he explained as she smiled and stood up, staring up at him as he watched her with a small smile covering her face. "I was thinking Chinese".

"You're defiantly my best friend now" she stated as he laughed, the two of them walking downstairs as they began to recite the food they adored from the Chinese; preparing the writer for the phone call he'd be making in a few minutes.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

"Stop flicking noodles at me" Kate moaned as she removed another noodle from her hair before glaring across at the writer who was laughing on the couch. "You're so childish Castle, you reall are" she moaned as he shrugged and began to eat his food again, the brunette laughing as she moved off the floor to sit beside him with her carton of Chinese food in her hand. "Tell me about your mother" she whispered as the writer stared at her in confusion as Kate smiled weakly. "Please" she whispered gently as he smiled and relaxed back.

"She's one of the craziest people you'll ever meet" he admitted as the brunette nodded slowly and watched him in amazement. "She adores her career and she won't ever give up acting, it's her life but I always came first as a kid. Whenever she had a performance at night when I was a kid, she would make me this little bed in her dressing room and tell me to sleep even though I never did, I would creep after her when she went on stage and watch her from the wings" he explained as Kate smiled. "She never shouted at me for it, she just smiled and took me home and asked me, as her most important critic, what I thought of her performance and I was always honest" he laughed as the brunette looked across at the picture of Rick, Alexis and his mother that rested above the fireplace. "She was the best mom I think a writer could have ever had" he admitted as she nodded slowly, a silent tear running down a tear that was completely unnoticed by her but obvious to the writer. "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing, nothing's wrong" she blurted out as his eyebrows rose.

"You're crying" he commented, shock covering her face as she ran a finger under her eyes and wiped under it, feeling the moisture against her finger as she sighed.

"What was your dad like?" she questioned.

"I never had a dad" he stated quickly.

"Sorry, I didn't know" she whispered quietly as he shrugged and finished his meal before resting it down on the coffee table and watching her as she continued to stare at him, trying to understand the writer's family.

"It's okay, I didn't mind" he explained as confusion covered her face. "He could be anything I wanted him to be, his career changed daily in my mind and I loved it. I didn't need a dad because I had everything I needed already and I guess I realised that because he wasn't there for my mom he would have let me down if I'd gotten the chance to know him" he stated as the detective nodded and smiled at him, glad that he hadn't felt like he'd missed out on knowing his father.

"I'm glad that you didn't feel like you missed out Rick, I bet you have loads of adventures from your childhood to tell your future grandchildren about" she admitted as he shrugged, knowing that he had hundreds of stories from his adventures in the wings of the theatres and his crazy upbringing around theatre legends. "Did you spend that weekend with Alexis like I told you too?" she asked.

"I did" he stated as she smiled. "We went to the movies and the park and the pool, she had an amazing time and it was nice" he admitted. "It was nice being Richard the dad, not Rick the writer and the celebrity. I think I've not been Rick the dad for a while and you made me realise how much I missed my baby" he admitted, tears filling his eyes as he groaned. "Now I'm crying" he laughed.

"You love her a lot don't you?" she asked quietly.

"Alexis is the best thing that's ever happened to me, she forced me to grow up and you don't know what love is until you hold that life that you half created with someone for the first time and see them and feel them, you just fall completely in love with them and you never want anyone to hurt them" he declared as she smiled weakly. "Alexis is my baby, it's my job to protect her and have fun with her and teach her what love is" he explained as Kate watched him in amazement. "And at the moment all I've been thinking about is how I've been leaving her with her friends or with my mother to spend time with Gina because she doesn't like to go to parties alone and she likes to prove that she's dating Richard Castle, she's not interested in the dad in me. She clearly doesn't like Alexis, she barely wants to talk to her and Alexis hates her" he blurted out before falling silent as Kate continued to watch her.

"Rick?" she asked.

"Why am I dating Gina Kate?" he questioned, staring into the brunette's eyes as they both fell silent.

**They may seem out of character, especially Kate, but it'll be explained in probably the next chapter. Please review, I love hearing from you and I am worried about whether you're enjoying this or not. It's different to something I normally write as they normally enter a romantic relationship quite quickly. **


	5. Chapter 5

Opening her eyes, Kate sighed as she stared towards the window to see that it was still dark outside. Groaning, the brunette turned to look up at the ceiling before sighing and reaching across for the photo that rested on her bedside table. Will hated the fact that she kept a picture of her parents beside her bed, he said it was like having sex with them watching but she liked keeping her mother close and she didn't care about what her boyfriend thought. He didn't understand! He didn't understand how much she missed her mother. He didn't even know the truth about Johanna Beckett. He hadn't met her dad; he hadn't asked her mother's name, he'd just guessed that she was dead and that Kate was still upset about it. Turning her head slowly, Kate sighed at the man who was sleeping beside her. She couldn't sleep and she wanted someone to talk to but it wasn't Will. Will wasn't the one she wanted to understand, he hardly noticed that recently she'd become more withdrawn from everything and hardly went to bed anymore. She was scared of the nightmares and she did anything to stay up.

"Will, Will wake up" she whispered, nudging him slightly, not surprised when the agent turned away from her and continued to snore loudly. Groaning, Kate quickly slid out of the bed and grabbed her dressing gown before pulling it on and walking out of the room in silence. She couldn't sleep and she couldn't be bothered trying anymore. Grabbing Rick's book off the side, Kate sighed as she curled up in the corner of the couch before tightly wrapping a blanket around herself before opening the book and staring at the message the writer had written and the piece of paper with his number that she kept safe in there. Staring at the piece of paper, Kate bit into her lip for a moment before reaching across for the phone. It was four in the morning and yet she was planning on calling him. What would he say when he answered? Would he be angry at her? Would he not even answer? Dialling his number slowly, Kate shut her eyes for a moment before sighing and waiting for someone to answer the phone. What if she woke his little girl up? He would be angry at her then! Maybe she should hang up!

"Hello" a voice yawned as Kate smiled weakly at the voice. He'd answered; he'd actually answered the phone. "Who's there?" he asked quietly, obviously tired.

"It's Kate" she admitted quietly as they both feel silently for a moment. "I'm sorry that I'm calling so early in the morning but I didn't know who else to call Rick" she whispered, looking across at her bedroom as the writer yawned down the line and relaxed back in his bed.

"What's the matter?" he asked quietly as she groaned, not knowing how to explain it.

"I'm having nightmares and I can't sleep and today's going to be a hard day and I just need someone to talk too" she whispered, trying not to cry as the writer sighed and climbed out of his bed, knowing just by the sound of her voice that the brunette was upset. "Did I wake you up?" Kate asked quietly as the writer laughed gently.

"I was just reading in bed, checking on the competition so I can write a better book next time. Someone needs to put Patterson in his place" he explained as Kate laughed quietly at his admition; why didn't that surprise her? "So Kate, what can I do to make you feel better tonight?" he asked as the brunette remained silent for a moment.

"I don't know" she admitted as the writer sighed. "Rick is there anyone else at your apartment tonight?" she asked quietly.

"Mother and Alexis are still out, they're not back for two more days" he explained as she nodded slowly and stood up, walking towards where her coat was resting. "Want to come over? I'll make hot chocolate and we can stay awake together" he declared as she smiled weakly, looking for a piece of paper to scribble a note to Will on. Not knowing what she was really writing, Kate scribbled a lie down that she was going onto the precinct before pulling her coat on over her pyjamas and sneaking out of the apartment in silence, not wanting to wake her boyfriend up.

XOOXOXOXOXXOXO

"Hey stranger" Rick sighed as he opened the door and looked down at the woman who was standing in front of him. "Come in, I've almost finished the hot chocolate" he declared, ushering her into the loft as she yawned and smiled at him, relaxing as the writer walked towards the kitchen while she sat herself in the arm chair and tightly wrapped her arms around her legs. Turning to look at her as he took hold of the mugs, Rick sighed as he watched the sleepy brunette for a few moments before approaching her with the mugs full of hot chocolate. "Here" he whispered, passing the mug to her as she smiled at him thankfully before sighing and looking down at the drink, a small laugh leaving her lips as she took in the smiley face he'd made from marshmallows.

"Thank you Rick" Kate smiled weakly as the writer stared at her in amazement, taking in the sadness that was continuing to cover her face even though she'd just been smiling. "I haven't had marshmallows in my drinks since my…" she began before falling silent, shocking the writer when she burst into tears. Putting his drink down, Rick quickly moved towards the brunette, kneeling down in front of her as she continued to shake her head at him. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry that I'm just this big wreck right now" she admitted as he shook his head and watched her, slowly moving to take the coffee mug out of her shaking hands.

"Come here Kate" he whispered, watching as she slowly moved off the chair to sit beside him. "You can tell me anything, I won't say anything to anyone, not if you don't want me too" he promised as she cuddled into his side and continued to cry against him. "It's not Will is it? There's not another woman?" he asked as she shook her head and remained close to him, happy just to have someone to talk too and have comfort her.

"Will's fine, Will's lying in bed fast asleep not caring about anything else in the world but himself. I tried to wake him up but he just groaned and turned away from me" she sobbed as the writer stared down at her for a moment. "I like Will, I really do, but sometimes I just want to have someone who will listen to me, someone who's awake and wants to pay attention to me because at the moment Will only cares about work, food and sleep" she admitted before shaking her head and staring across at his apartment as she attempted to calm down. She hated how emotional she was. She wasn't normally like this! Almost every other day of the year she was normal and yet around this time she was a wreck, an emotional wreck! "When I was younger I used to dream about what my life would be like when I was an adult".

"What did you used to imagine being Kate?" he asked as she laughed, still obviously emotional.

"I used to imagine being a lawyer like my mom, I wanted to be just like her when I was growing up. I always did since I was around four" she admitted, her eyes shutting as she relaxed back against the couch and sighed. "I was going to be just like my mom, Kate and Johanna Beckett, the two lawyers" she whispered quietly.

"What changed then Kate? What made you become a cop in the end Kate?" he asked as she bit into her lip for a moment, unable to stop the tears that were running down her cheeks.

"She died Rick" the brunette admitted, her statement making the writer stare down at her. "She was taken away from me and no one can bring her back and all I want is a cuddle from her sometimes, sometimes I go to call her to ask her something she used to know and realise that my mom isn't going to answer the phone" she sobbed as Rick tightly wrapped his arms around her, wishing that he hadn't asked the question now.

"Come on you, it's not very comfortable on the floor" he whispered, standing up before helping her off the ground and leading her towards his bedroom. Watching as Kate removed her coat, Rick smiled at her deep purple pyjamas before he grabbed another blanket. "Get in" he whispered, confusion covering her face as he pulled the duvet back. "Come on sleepy head, get in" he declared, a small smile appearing on her face as she slid under the blanket and shut her eyes for a moment. Watching as the writer rested above the blanket on the over side, Kate sighed as Rick turned to look at her and smiled gently. "We don't need to talk about this now; we don't need to talk about it until you're ready to talk about it" he promised as Kate watched him for a moment, not knowing what to say. Why was he being so kind to her? Why did she always feel so able to talk around him?

"Thank you" she whispered quietly before shutting her eyes and sighing. Was she really doing this? Had she really left her boyfriend at her apartment to sleep in the same bed as the writer? Was she really doing this? "She was the most wonderful woman" Kate whispered quietly. "She managed to be the best lawyer around and yet she was the best mom I could have ever had. She used to be there for every school performance, every sports game. She was my biggest cheerleader, she never let me give up on anything because it was too hard" she whispered as the writer watched her. "She loved your books".

"Ah" he smiled.

"She's what made me want to read them; she was always talking about your books. She read every single one and she adored them she always told me that I should read them because they were my sort of books and it took her dying for me to actually pick one up" she declared, opening her eyes slowly to look across at the writer. "She was right, you're books are the kind of books that I love" she whispered as he smiled and nodded, relaxing when she yawned and buried her face into the pillow. "Thank you for being my friend".

"Always Kate" he whispered gently.

XOOOXOXXOXOXOXO

"You're making me breakfast" Kate said quietly as she walked out of his bedroom to see the writer in the kitchen, a small smile covering his face as he looked towards her for a moment. "Can I use your phone?" she asked as Rick nodded and watched as Kate approached the couch and took the phone from the side. Dialling her home number, Kate watched as Rick continued to cook before she moved the phone to her ear and sighed, waiting for Rick to answer.

"Kate Beckett's house" Will answered as Kate sighed and relaxed back into the corner of the couch.

"Hi Will" Kate said quietly as she heard Will laugh under his breath. "Look I'm sorry I wasn't there this morning" the brunette whispered as Rick finished making their breakfast and began to prepare a coffee for them both.

"So where did you go Kate? It's not normal to find that my girlfriend has disappeared from her bed and she's only taken her coat with her. For god's sake Kate, I was worried" he declared as she sighed and looked across at the writer who was now walking towards her with a mug of coffee in his hands. "Kate, answer the bloody question! Where the hell are you right now?" he asked as the brunette shut her eyes and groaned.

"I'm at Rick's" she admitted, knowing better than to lie to him.

"Why am I not surprised? What's going on with you two Kate?" he practically shouted down the phone as Rick rested the coffee mug on the table and sat down beside the brunette who still had her eyes shut. "Are you sleeping with him? Did you wait until I was asleep and just go over to his for a quick fuck Kate?" he asked.

"Will you're being stupid, Rick's just my friend" she stated as the writer watched her for a moment, guessing that Will thought they were sleeping together. "I was upset and I couldn't sleep and you wouldn't wake up for anything so I called Rick and I came over for a hot chocolate, I fell asleep in his spare bedroom. Nothing happened, I'm not interested in him like that, he's just my friend and I needed a friend last night" she insisted, desperate for him to believe her. He just wanted him to get over it so she could get through today without her relationship falling apart as well. She just wanted today to be okay, at least in one area of her life.

"Are you coming back home this morning Kate?" Will asked, not bothering to question what she'd said about Rick.

"Actually, Rick's made breakfast so…" she began.

"Maybe I wanted to have breakfast with you Kate; you are my girlfriend after all. I'm at your home Kate, I expect to find you in bed where you were when we went to sleep, I don't expect to find you in some writer's house instead" Will stated as she groaned. "Do you even want to be in a relationship with me Kate because you don't seem very interested in spending time with me anymore?" Will asked as confusion covered her face.

"Of course I want to be in a relationship with you Will" she declared as she took her coffee off the table and took a sip, relaxing as she took in the familiar taste. "But you're working today and you didn't wake up and I didn't want to ruin your sleep because I was upset" she whispered, desperate not to talk about what had upset her. "I'm sorry if what I did upset you Will but I was trying to do the right thing for both of us" she stated.

"Kate" he whispered.

"Look we'll talk later but my breakfast's ready and you'll be late for work if you don't get going soon" she stated as Will fell silent for a moment. "I'll talk to you later" Kate stated, the agent nodding as he said goodbye, the two of them hanging up on each other before the brunette put the phone back and looked across at the writer who was staring at her. "Hi" she said quietly, the writer smiling at her before standing and collecting their breakfast. Bringing the food over to her, Rick sighed as he stared at the brunette who was cuddled into the corner like normal with her coffee in her hands.

"How are you feeling this morning?" he asked quietly as he sat down beside her.

"Tired, it's going to be a long day for me" she whispered as he watched her for a moment. "Today's the anniversary" she admitted quietly as he nodded slowly before leaning across to kiss her forehead gently. "I need to go home at some point, I need to change and I have to buy some flowers from somewhere" she explained, mainly for her own benefit so she was giving herself a schedule for the day. She couldn't just lie around and moan! She needed to do something with the day!

"I could drive you home if you want Kate, I don't mind" he declared, desperate to not leave her on her own, especially after seeing her breakdown the previous day.

"I have my car actually, I drove here last night and I need to take it back so I can get back to work on Monday" she explained as Rick nodded slowly and watched as she continued to eat her meal, almost in silence. "Thank you Rick" she whispered, putting her plate down on the coffee table before shutting her eyes and relaxing back while he continued to watch her. "You've been the best friend I could have ever asked for Rick, thank you" she whispered as he smiled and wrapped an arm around her. "I don't want to do today on my own" she admitted.

"Then I won't let you Kate" he declared as she bit into her lip. Did she really want to spend today with someone? Did she really want someone to see her break down and be an emotional wreck? "And I don't care what you say when you change your mind, I want to be there today Kate" he ordered as she smiled weakly and nodded. "What do you normally do today?" he asked quietly.

"I normally work or spend the day with Will, I try and distract myself but then I always feel guilty afterwards" she admitted as he watched her, wiping away the tear that had begun to run down her cheek. "It's like I'm trying to pretend that she's not there but she is. I can't just act like nothing happened, I can't act like she wasn't stabbed and killed and no one's found the bastard" she cried as the writer sighed and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as she buried her face into his t-shirt.

"And that's why you became a cop" he whispered as she nodded, watching as she moved to take something out from underneath her t-shirt.

"This was hers" Kate admitted as she showed him the ring that was around her neck. "My dad did weeks of overtime to pay for it, he said she deserved the best things in the world" she explained as Rick smiled. "He adored my mom, would do anything to show her how much he loved her and when he decided to marry her he wanted to buy her the best ring in the world" she admitted as the writer observed Kate slide her finger through the ring. "She loved it; I always caught her looking at it when I was a kid. She would sit on the couch and make me sit down beside her and tell me the story of how my dad worked so hard for it and then she told me that when you're in love you work for it and you never give up when things get too hard".

"I like that" he admitted. "I think that's a good way to describe love".

"Did you feel like that about your wife?" she asked quietly as he shook his head and sighed.

"When I married Meredith I did it because I thought it was the right thing to do" he admitted. "She was pregnant with Alexis and I wanted to bring my baby up in the correct situation" he explained as Kate remained cuddled in his arms. "It didn't work, Meredith wasn't ready to be a mother and a wife and she wasn't prepared to be attached to just one man which she proved when I caught her in bed with her director" he declared.

"I'm sorry" she whispered.

"It's fine, I wasn't really in love with her. I was more concerned about my little girl" he explained as Kate sighed. "I wouldn't change anything that happened because Alexis is the best thing that I've ever been given in my life but sometimes I wish that I hadn't been so stupid about relationships in the past. I wish I'd found someone I was serious about".

"Are you serious about Gina?" she questioned.

"I don't know Kate" he admitted, deciding not to try and lie and make his relationship look perfect. This was Kate, the Kate he could be honest too about things. "I like Gina, she's fun but I can't imagine having her around Alexis full time. They can barely be in the same room for five minutes let alone for the rest of our lives" he explained as Kate smiled at him. "What about you and Will? Are you serious about each other?" he asked.

"I don't know anymore" she whispered as she shut her eyes for a moment. "At one point we were" she declared before running her fingers through her hair and sighing. "Do you mind if we go to mine now? I want to get changed" she explained.

"That's fine Kate" he smiled before they both stood up, Kate grabbing her coat that the writer had brought out of the bedroom earlier in the day.

XOOXOXOXOXXOXOO

"You look like your mom" Rick observed as he sat on the couch with the brunette and stared at the image of Kate and her mother, her smile growing as she took in his comment. "You did loads of things when you were kid" he declared, looking across at the pictures that were now decorating her coffee table of Kate ice skating and dancing and on holiday. "You've visited loads of places that must have been amazing".

"My mom wanted me to know all about different countries, she taught me different languages and everything, and she was so obsessed with me experiencing different things" Kate explained as Rick stared at her in amazement. "She was brilliant, everyone fell in love with her the moment they met her, she was fantastic" she whispered before falling silent. Except one person! One person had hated her mother enough to kill her. "I think you would have liked her" she admitted.

"I think I would have done if she was anything like you Kate" he declared as she shut her eyes for a moment and sighed. "I bet she has the famous Beckett stubborn streak" he laughed as Kate nodded and laughed.

"Not as bad as my dad" she declared. "The amount of times my dad and me have gotten into fights because we're too stubborn to give up" she laughed as she began to play with the ring around her neck again. "Mom would just sit and laugh at us before choosing a side; we knew the argument was over the moment my mom stepped in. She always brought the peace" she stated before someone knocked on the door. "Excuse me" she whispered, standing up before walking towards the door and opening it to see her father leaning against the wall. "Dad what are you doing here?" she asked quietly before her father slipped, the brunette shutting her eyes for a moment as she realised that her dad was drunk. "Dad please tell me you didn't drive here" she begged.

"I walked" he slurred as Kate nodded and wrapped an arm around her father who quickly leant into her. Leading him into her apartment, Kate sighed as she looked across to see the writer staring at her from his seat on the couch. Standing quickly, Rick walked towards her and helped by wrapping an arm around the man she was helping before following her lead towards the couch. Resting her dad on the couch, Kate sighed as she stared at the man who was practically already asleep on her couch. "Katie, you look stressed" Jim commented as she burst into tears.

"Of course I'm stressed, if today wasn't hard enough you've gone and done this" she sobbed as Rick rested a hand on her shoulder, trying to give her some support. "You promised you'd stop doing this daddy, you promised" she whispered as Rick sighed. So this was her father, the father that Kate clearly loved from everything she said. Waiting for a response from him, Kate shut her eyes as she heard her father snore, obviously now fast asleep.

"Come on you, let's get you a coffee" Rick whispered as he held Kate off the floor and slowly wiped the tears from her face before leading her towards her kitchen. "So that's your dad?" he asked as she nodded slowly before moving to sit on the kitchen side, tears running down her cheeks as the writer watched her for a moment. "Where do you keep your mugs then?" he asked, watching as the brunette pointed at a cupboard. Preparing the two coffees, Rick sighed as he carried them towards the brunette who slowly took one from him and smiled weakly.

"He's not a bad person, he's just lost" Kate sobbed as Rick took a sip of the warm liquid. "I promise, he's not a bad person. He just got so lost when mom died and he turned to the drink, he keeps trying to give it up" she explained as the writer watched her for a moment before nodding. "Please don't tell anyone".

"I told you, all of this stays between us Kate, it doesn't concern anyone else but the two of us" he declared as she smiled weakly, laughing when the writer wiped her tears away with a piece of kitchen towel. "Haven't you told anyone? I'm sure there are people that can help you" he whispered.

"No, I don't want anyone to know" she blurted out, knocking her coffee over as the writer sighed. "If anyone found out at work…"

"Kate you can't do this on your own, it's not fair on anyone, especially on you" he whispered as she shrugged, not wanting to tell her anything else.

"My boss knows; he found me looking into her case" she explained. "He doesn't know about my dad's drinking but he knows about mom, he sent me to a therapist once to discuss this. I stopped looking into her case; I stopped trying to investigate it. I was terrible Rick, I used to just sit there and stare into her case. I never slept, I never ate. I just stared at the crime scene photos and tried to investigate it, I was desperate to find her killer" she declared. "That's why I became a cop".

"Has your dad tried giving up the drink before?" he asked.

"Hundreds of times, it just doesn't work. He managed to go two months without a drop but then I joined the force and he broke down. He just started drinking more than ever" she whispered as he nodded and stared at her. He could kind of understand why any father who do that! The police force wasn't exactly the safest of jobs! "You should go" she whispered after a few moments of silence.

"Kate" he whispered.

"I don't want you to see my dad like this" she explained. "I don't want you to see my family like this and then only be my friend because you pity me. I want you to be my friend because you like who I am" she whispered as he shook his head. "I was crazy asking you to come here; I shouldn't have asked you over Rick, you have better things you could have been doing with your day" she muttered, the writer staring at her as she bit into her lip again. "You could have been working on your book or spending time with your girlfriend, you could have been doing something better than sitting with an emotional woman and her drunk father" she stated.

"I know but here I am, being your friend Kate" he smiled as she stared at him for a moment before smiling weakly at him. "I want you to have someone to talk too, you need someone you can talk too and if it isn't Will, I'd like it to be me Kate" he declared as she took hold of his hand and smiled, her fingers lacing with his as they continued to watch each other. "I'd like you to be able to talk to me" he whispered.

"I'd like that too" she admitted before leaning across and hugging him. "Thank you Rick, thank you" she whispered gently, keeping her arms around his neck as the writer relaxed and kept her close, hoping that by just holding her he was making things a little bit better.

**So what do you think? I don't know what I think of it but yeah, it's up to you! Thank you for your lovely reviews and please continue to respond, it means a lot to me to know that you're enjoying it and any ideas you have will be appreciated. **


	6. Chapter 6

"So I tried calling you last week" Gina stated as her boyfriend shut the door behind her, turning around to see her walking towards his kitchen and sitting down. "Make me a coffee would you Rick? I could do with the caffeine; it's going to be a long a long day" she explained, the writer nodding as he slowly moved into his kitchen and grabbed two mugs before slowly pouring a coffee; a small smile covering his face as he looked across to see his daughter running down the stairs before approaching him.

"Good morning pumpkin, sleep well?" Rick smiled, lifting his daughter onto the kitchen side as she nodded and smiled, knowing that her father probably had her breakfast ready somewhere. Passing the mug of coffee to Gina, Rick sighed as he moved towards the fridge and removed a bowl of cut fruit and yoghurt before passing it to his daughter who smiled and thanked him. "So what are you doing here Gina? We don't have anything planned do we?" he asked as she shook her head and smiled at him, taking a sip of her coffee before groaning. "What now?" he questioned.

"Richard there's sugar in this, I don't have coffee with sugar" she stated as he looked at her. What? She always had sugar in her coffee? She hated it without sugar! She didn't even like coffee that much, she only drank it when desperate for something to keep her awake after a busy night clubbing or working on a new book deal.

"You don't drink coffee without sugar Gina, you always have coffee with sugar" Rick explained as she stared at him before rolling her eyes. "What have I gotten wrong this time?" he declared, watching her for a moment as she stared at him.

"I'm on a diet Rick for god's sake, no sugar allowed unless necessary" she stated as he groaned. It was diet time! Why did everyone he dated go on unnecessary diets? Meredith did them all the time and now Gina always seemed to do it and then blamed it on him when he did something wrong even though he'd never been informed about her diet. "You're such an idiot sometimes Rick" she shouted as Alexis turned to look at her in shock.

"My dad's not an idiot" Alexis stated as Rick groaned. This was all he needed, his daughter getting upset before school! "You're the idiot with your stupid diets" the redhead shouted as Rick rested his hand on her shoulder, desperate for her to calm down. "Why don't you go away and never come back?" she announced, attempting to move off the side but failing as her father kept her there, the action knocking over Gina's mug.

"You stupid little girl" Gina screamed as the warm liquid feel onto her cream outfit. "This is ruined" she declared, standing up quickly as Rick stared at her for a moment, taking in the destroyed outfit.

"Sweetheart why don't you go and get ready for school? You don't want to be late" Rick suggested as Alexis nodded and climbed off the side before running upstairs.

"You better get her to buy me another one or do something Richard; she's such a clumsy idiot. This was expensive and she's completely ruined it! How could you bring up such a stupid girl?" she shrieked, jumping when the writer slammed his fist down onto the table. She was lucky that he hit the table because she was furious! "What the hell was that for?" she asked.

"Don't you dare say things like that about my daughter Gina, she's the best little girl that you could ever had" Rick stated, furious at what she'd said about Alexis. "I would like you to leave please" he declared, walking towards the door to open it and look across at her. "Gina leave now" he shouted, the blonde groaning before standing and walking towards him. "We're over Gina, no one says that to my little girl" he declared as she shrugged.

"You weren't much fun anyway" she stated, walking out of the apartment and out of sight. Shutting the door, Rick groaned as he rested his forehead against the door before groaning. He wasn't upset about losing Gina, he was kind of glad that she was gone. He'd been trying to find a reason to leave her and her treatment of his daughter had been the final straw. Alexis came first; his love life always came second to her. Turning around, Rick sighed as he forced a smile on his face when his daughter nervously approached him.

"Is Gina gone?" she asked quietly as the writer nodded gently and smiled weakly before sitting down against the door. Moving towards her father, Alexis sighed as she sat down beside her father before resting against his side. "I'm sorry daddy" she whispered gently, looking up at her father who smiled and shook his head.

"You didn't do anything wrong sweetheart, Gina wasn't the right woman for me and you proved that to me sweetheart" Rick smiled, gently pressing a kiss into his daughter's hair before sighing. "You ready for school?" he asked, the redhead nodding as they both remained sat down on the floor. "Gina wasn't right about anything sweetheart, you're my little genius" he promised, cuddling her for a second before they both stood up, the writer watching as Alexis grabbed her bag and smiled up at him. "Let's get you to school, we're already running late" he declared, taking hold of her hand before leading her out of the apartment, smiling when she squeezed his hand gently.

"I love you daddy" she whispered.

"I love you too pumpkin, I love you too".

XOOXXOOXOXOXOXOXOX

"So who was the new man you brought round last week?" Esposito asked as he turned around in his chair and looked across at the brunette who was attempting to finish her paperwork. It was a slow day and Kate knew the boys had been desperate to ask her about Rick. She'd been waiting for it for a week and here it was when they were bored and desperate for something to talk about and any new person in her life seemed to excite her.

"He was a friend, nothing more, nothing less" Kate explained. "And I didn't bring him around, he was worried about me because he hadn't seen me in a while so he decided to see whether I was okay, like friends do" she announced, rolling her eyes when the two men looked at each other and laughed.

"Beckett if we did that you'd scream at us" Ryan stated as she stared at them. They were probably right, she wouldn't be happy if they did the same thing!

"And you were in that room for a long time before we joined you and you dragged him in there pretty fast" Javier smiled, earning a quick glare from the brunette. "Enough time for a good kiss don't you think Ryan?"

"I think so" the Irish detective laughed as Kate stood up quickly, frustrated at the two men. Why did they have to be so annoying today?

"I think the two of you have forgotten that I'm in a serious relationship with Will and I don't cheat so are you two going to grow up now? I can be friends with men without being in a sexual relationship with them" she stated as shock covered their faces.

"You're talking about sex Beckett, we don't want to know about your sex life" Ryan almost squealed as Kate rolled her eyes at them before relaxing back in her chair, her eyes shutting for a moment. Why did these two become so immature when they were bored? "Anyway we know that you don't need be having sex with a man to be their friends" he explained. "It's not like you're sleeping with us" he declared.

"Even though Ryan wishes you would Beckett" Esposito said under his breath, earning a punch from his partner who was beginning to blush.

"Bastard" Kevin stated as Kate laughed and shook her head for a moment. "I don't want to sleep with you Beckett" he added as the brunette nodded, knowing that the two men were joking around. They were like her brothers and she wasn't attracted to either of them, especially since her friend liked Esposito more than she ever wanted to admit. Hearing her phone ring, Kate sighed as she reached across for the screaming object before relaxing and holding it to her ear.

"Beckett" she answered, her frustration showing in her voice, as the two men mocked her from their seats.

"Can I bring you lunch or will I be shot?" Rick asked as she laughed and turned her seat so Ryan and Esposito weren't watching her. "I could do with a chat but you can tell me no, I understand if you're busy" he explained, her head shaking as she continued to smile. She'd missed him and they're phone calls every night made her happy. They talked about nothing in particular- their days and he was occasionally brave enough to ask her about her father which she never really answered except for with the occasional he was okay.

"I'd like that but do you think you can bring some lunch for the guys? They're kind of restless today and I could do with getting them off my case" she explained as the writer laughed.

"I can bring lunch for the guys" he promised as she beamed. "I'll be there in twenty minutes, Chinese okay?" he asked.

"Chinese is perfect, we like Chinese here. It makes us detective's very happy" she laughed as she heard Ryan and Esposito try and sneak up on her to listen into her phone call. "I'll see you in twenty minutes" she stated.

"I'll see you in twenty minutes Katherine Beckett" he laughed before they both said goodbye and she put the phone down, turning around to look at the two men who were now stood a lot closer to her than they'd been when she started her phone call.

"Chinese for lunch, it'll be here in twenty minutes" she explained as the two men beamed. "And you can thank my non sexual friend for it because otherwise you'd be starving today" she declared as the two men laughed and walked back towards their desk, not wanting to get on the wrong side of her now that her friend was bringing them lunch. Looking up at the clock after a few moments, Kate smiled as she realised that it was closer to the time that the writer had promised to be there with food. Hearing the elevator doors open, Kate quickly turned to see the writer standing there looking at her. Standing quickly, the brunette walked towards him before taking the bag into her hands and smiling up at him. "If the boys say anything to you, ignore them, they're bored and want to annoy people today. They especially want to annoy me today" she explained as he nodded and followed her towards the break room where the two men were already sitting.

"It's nice to see you again, we didn't really get to talk last week" Ryan smiled as Esposito nodded in agreement. "Beckett never lets us meet her friends, she's very secretive, we're lucky that we know Will" he explained as Kate rolled her eyes and sighed. Why did they have to embarrass her?

"Well I can understand not wanting to mix your personal and professional life" he stated as Kate smiled and began to remove the food from the bag, the two men leaning slightly forward as they looked at the collection of food that the writer had brought them. "Any cases today?" he asked as all three detectives shook their heads. "So what have you been doing?"

"Paperwork" all three of them moaned as the writer nodded slowly. So that was why they were getting on each other's nerves?

"How's Alexis?" Kate asked quickly.

"Girlfriend?" Esposito asked.

"Daughter" Rick smiled proudly as Kate laughed at the shocked expression that covered her colleagues face. "And I kind of want to talk to you about that later" he admitted as she nodded slowly before eating some of the noodles in front of her.

"Do you have a girlfriend though? Any lucky ladies out there Mr Castle?" Javier asked as Kate rolled her eyes.

"You don't need to answer that, it's none of their business" she smiled, kicking the man under the table as Rick laughed.

"You kicked me" Javier moaned.

"If you're going to be childish, I'll be childish back" she stated simply, smiling when Rick and Kevin started laughing hysterically at what she'd said.

"But do you have a girlfriend?" Javier asked after they'd all recovered from laughing.

"No, no girlfriend for me" he stated, shock covering Kate's face as she turned to look at him. "It's over" he said simply, answering the question that he could practically see in her eyes.

"Javier Esposito" a voice screamed in the corridor as shock covered the detective's face.

"What have you done?" Kate hissed as the detective moved to hide under the table while Ryan burst into laughter again. "Tell me now because otherwise I'll tell her where you are" she warned.

"We were bored so we put lots of salt in her coffee" Kevin blurted out. "And Javi took it down to her as a surprise" he admitted as Kate groaned and looked across at the writer who was smiling at her.

"And now I'm getting all the blame when it was mainly Ryan" Javier moaned from under the table. Hearing footsteps approach them, Kate turned quickly to see Lanie Parish stood in the door with a coffee in her hands.

"Hi Lanie" Kevin smiled at the ME.

"Don't hi me Kevin Ryan, where's your idiot of a partner?" she hissed as Rick stared at Kate who smiled and looked back at her friend.

"What's the matter Lanie?" Kate asked quickly.

"I don't know whether it's the fact that Esposito put salt in my coffee, pretended to be a gentleman when he's actually a pig or the fact you're all having Chinese and once again I wasn't invited" she stated as Kate bit into her lip. "And who the hell is this?" she asked, pointing to Rick who smiled at her.

"He's a friend" Kate said simply.

"A friend?" she asked.

"A friend" Kate repeated as the ME nodded slowly and began to look around the room.

"Right I'm going to go now" Lanie said loudly as Kate watched her in confusion. What was she doing? Watching her friend leave, Kate sighed as she looked under the table to see Javier staring at her.

"Is she gone?" he asked as Kate nodded and watched as he moved to stand up.

"You bastard" Lanie shouted as she reappeared in the doorway, glaring across at the man who had just stood up. "You ass" she threatened as Javier remained perfectly still. She wouldn't try and attack him in the precinct, would she? "You're a horrible person Javier Esposito, no wonder you're single" she declared as he opened his mouth to speak, shocked when she reached up and poured her cold salt filled coffee over him. "And I know for a fact that that's your favourite shirt" she stated.

"Is it always like this?" Rick asked.

"Only when there are no cases, normally we're pretty good actually" Kate smiled as he nodded and looked at her. "I'm sorry about Gina" she whispered while Lanie and Javier continued to bicker.

"She wasn't the one" he shrugged as Kate smiled. "Can we talk about it later? I don't really want the whole world to know" he admitted as she nodded and sighed, not surprised when her Captain entered the room and stared at the collection of people.

"What's going on this time?" Roy asked.

"Salt in Lanie's coffee that is now decorating Espo's favourite shirt" Kate stated as the older man rolled his eyes and stared at the bickering couple.

"Take the afternoon off Beckett, try and do something more productive with your day" he suggested as she nodded and smiled. "And who's this?" Roy asked as he looked down at the writer who smiled up at him.

"Rick Castle, I'm a friend of Kate's" he admitted as the man nodded slowly and smiled.

"Nice to meet you" he declared before looking across at the two male detective's and the ME who were still arguing. "Right, Esposito, Ryan out of the precinct, Doctor Parish go back to work if you have any" he stated, ending the bickering as the three of them and nodded and moved away from each other.

"Call me" Lanie smiled across at Kate who rolled her eyes and watched as her friend disappeared out of the room.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow" she smiled, finishing the last of the noodles before standing and looking at the writer. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah, I'm ready to go" he smiled, looking across at the two men who now beginning to eat the rest of the food. "It was nice seeing you two again" he commented.

"Yeah" both men nodded, watching as he followed Kate out of the room.

"They're defiantly more than friends" Esposito commented as Ryan nodded.

XXOOXOXOXOXOXOXO

"What happened with Gina?" Kate asked quietly as they walked through the park together, a small sigh leaving his lips as he looked across to see a father playing with his daughter in the distance. "It had to be something bad Rick, I don't think I've ever seen you looking so miserable" she stated as he laughed and moved to sit down on the grass, the brunette doing the same thing a few moments later.

"There was a fight" he admitted. "Between Alexis and Gina and I've never seen my little girl so angry before Kate and then she was crying and blaming herself. She accidentally knocked over Gina's coffee and it went all down the stupid woman's outfit and she started calling Alexis stupid and an idiot and I made Alexis leave and I just told her to go. I've never seen my little girl so upset before" he whispered as Kate found his hand and smiled weakly at him.

"Why did they start fighting? Because of the coffee spillage?" she asked.

"Because Gina called me an idiot for not knowing that she was on a diet and Alexis stood up for me" he explained as Kate smiled weakly.

"I think you did the right thing, ending it" she admitted as he watched her. "She wasn't making you happy Rick; I don't think I've ever heard you say a positive thing about her and most of all she wasn't right for me" she stated as he smiled weakly. "You need someone who adores your daughter like you do and someone who doesn't care about the material things in life, you need someone who's real and doesn't just want your money or your fame" she blurted out before falling silent.

"Sounds too good to be true Kate" he shrugged.

"I think she's out there Rick, the perfect woman for you" she smiled as she squeezed his hand again and smiled. "You just have to be patient and just spend a lot of time with your daughter to make up all of the pain she might have felt while you were dating Gina but she'll come and it'll be right" she said simply as he laughed. "What?"

"How are you so good at this?" he asked. "You always know the right thing to say".

"I guess I just know you Richard Castle" she laughed before sighing.

"How are things with Will?" he asked after a few minutes of silence.

"I haven't seen or talked to him since we had our fight, he's gone to Boston again and well, I don't care" she stated as the writer stared at her. "He's been leaving me messages but they're not what I want to hear".

"Messages like what?" he questioned.

"I'll forgive you for sleeping with him Kate and I'm sorry I got angry but you have to understand that it's weird for someone's girlfriend to spend more time with another man" she recited as the writer rolled his eyes. "You're my friend and I don't care what he thinks, I want to be able to spend time with you without Will having a panic attack about whether I'm having sex with you" she stated as the writer wrapped his arm around her and held her close. "Sometimes I look at my relationship with Will and wonder whether there's someone better out there. Will's great, he understands the job and he doesn't get angry at the long hours but if I have friends outside of work…" she began.

"He's just protective, you're an extraordinary woman Kate, I think any man would be worried if you were around someone they didn't know very well" he explained as she watched him in amazement. "What?" he asked.

"Nothing, just thanks" she whispered before leaning across and pressing a kiss to his cheek. "You're sweet sometimes" she admitted.

"Only sometimes?" he asked.

"You're lucky I even admitted to the sometimes Castle so don't try and get more out of me" she laughed as they continued to look across the park.

"Castle?" he asked.

"Sorry, it's a cop thing" she whispered.

"I know, I kind of like it" he declared as she rolled her eyes and laughed at him, enjoying just being with someone who made her laugh like she used too. "Come on, I think a coffee is needed" he stated as she nodded, the two of them standing before heading in the direction of the nearest coffee shop.

**So what do you think? **


	7. Chapter 7

**Right, I've made the decision that Alexis is going to be younger in this story than she would be if I followed the usual timeline! I don't normally do this but for this to work, Alexis is going to be around six or seven! I just wanted to clear that up before this chapter started just because of the way Alexis acts and everything. **

Running towards the knocking door, Kate sighed as she quickly unlocked it and stared at the man who was standing in front of her. What was he doing here? What was Will doing here? Staring down at her outfit, Kate groaned as she realised that she was holding her toothbrush while dressed in a pair of jeans with her pyjamas t-shirt and she probably had toothpaste decorating her face. She probably looked a sight and by the smirk that was covering Will's face she probably was hysterical to look at.

"What are you doing here Will?" she asked quickly as he groaned and shook his head. She knew she sounded rude but she was shocked! Why did Will always have a habit of turning up when he wasn't needed or wanted?

"Hello to you too Kate, it's nice to see you" Will commented as she rolled her eyes and leant across to kiss his cheek. "Hey, I'm not a family friend, we can kiss like boyfriend and girlfriend" he explained as Kate sighed and gently pressed her lips to his, groaning against them when he pulled her close to him. "You taste of toothpaste" he moaned.

"Well I am trying to get ready for my girly day with Lanie" she stated, moving out of his arms before entering her apartment and watching as he followed her inside, closing the door behind him as Kate disappeared into her bedroom. Following her inside, Will sighed as he relaxed back on his girlfriend's bed before smiling across at the sound of her brushing her teeth in the en-suite. "So what are you doing here Will? Why aren't you working?" she questioned as she walked out of the en-suite in her jeans and bra, staring at him as she pulled her hair back from her face.

"I took the day off, thought we could spend the day together but you're clearly busy today Kate" he stated as she nodded slowly, looking at him for a moment before moving towards her wardrobe and grabbing a t-shirt. "So what are you and Lanie doing?"

"Pampering day- Lanie wants to gossip so we're going to just lie around and do our nails and girly things" she explained as Will nodded slowly, obviously not impressed with the idea.

"Could we have dinner then?" he asked as she bit into her lip. "Or are you booked then as well?" he questioned.

"I have dinner plans, I'm sorry" she declared as he stared at her for a moment, obviously wanting to know who her plans were with. "Rick wants me to meet his daughter, she's his whole world and he doesn't like to keep things from her so he wants me to get to know her" she explained.

"Why is she any of your business Kate? She's not your daughter and he's not your boyfriend, I am" he declared as she leant down and kissed him gently. "She's nothing to do with you Kate and I'd really like to spend the evening with you, I mean you're my girlfriend and I haven't even talked to you since our argument" he admitted as she shut her eyes and groaned before sitting herself down beside him.

"I know Will but I want to meet her, Rick's told me loads about her and I can't cancel plans I made last week. If you'd call maybe…" she began, knowing that she wouldn't have answered. She'd been ignoring his phone calls because she wasn't prepared to deal with another argument over the writer and therefore he wouldn't have been able to plan anything. "I'm sorry but I need to go, Lanie will be angry if I'm late and I don't want to get on the wrong side of her" she admitted as he nodded slowly and stared at her before leaning in to kiss her quickly.

"Maybe we can do something tomorrow? Unless you're too busy with your writer?" he questioned as she groaned, his tone annoying her! Why couldn't he just grow up and get over the fact that she had a new friend? It wasn't like she was cheating on him and she wasn't planning on doing anything!

"For god's sake Will, he's not my writer" she stated as he shrugged. "No, you can't shrug this off. Rick is my friend and you need to stop being so rude every time it's mentioned in conversation" she declared as she stood up and grabbed her brown jacket out of the wardrobe, pulling it on over her white t-shirt before sighing and turning to look at him. "Maybe when you learn to respect my friends we can think about doing something" she stated, moving out of her bedroom before approaching the door, knowing that Will was going to follow her. "You can let yourself out can't you Will?" she announced, grabbing her keys and wallet before throwing them into her purse.

"Kate" he declared as she opened the door.

"I'm running late and I'm not going to make my friend angry because you're being a complete idiot about my friendships with other men! I don't see you getting jealous when I spend time with Ryan or Esposito" she stated as he rolled his eyes at her.

"Well you're colleagues, that writer isn't and I don't trust him! Look at the amount of women he's dated in the past Kate, he's known for dating women and then leaving them" he declared as Kate tightly wrapped her arms around her chest, turning to finally look at him! "Kate you're my girlfriend and I don't like you being around that guy, he's not good for you".

"Rick's the best thing that's ever happened to me Will and you can't comment about what's good for me or not! You don't need me; you've never tried to get to know me properly and maybe if you actually bothered to get to know Rick then you'd understand that he's not how the media portray him, he's an amazing and committed man and his daughter always comes first" she stated as he watched her for a moment as she moved towards the door again.

"I'll wait for you to come home then, we can talk tonight" he declared as she shook her head.

"No, go home and spend time with your own friends or something, just don't be here when I get home Will. I just want to enjoy my day and I don't want you to be here when I get home, I can't deal with this at the moment" she shouted before storming out of the apartment, leaving him in shock.

XOOXOXOXOXOXOXO

"So tell me about the new man in your life" Lanie declared as she looked across at the brunette who was currently lying across her couch with her hair tied back, completely concentrating on painting her nails while Lanie finished making drinks. "Come on, you're invited for a girly gossip so you have to tell me about the new man in your life! It's like gossip law" she declared, overly dramatized in typical Lanie form as Kate laughed and looked up at her before putting the nail polish down on the coffee table.

"Rick's just a friend Lanie" Kate explained as the medical examiner just stared at her in silence. "Well maybe he's my best friend" she admitted as Lanie nodded slowly. "Rick just makes me smile. One night I was having nightmares and he didn't even care that I called him and then turned up at his house. He made me hot chocolate with a marshmallow smiley face and he hugged me and he just made me feel completely comfortable and I trust him. I trust him with things that I can't even trust you with, no offense" she admitted as Lanie nodded slowly. "I've slept at his apartment twice".

"You mean?" she asked.

"No sex Lanie, I'm not having sex with Richard Castle" Kate stated, her voice full of annoyance as Lanie laughed. "The first time I slept in the spare room but the second time, the second time we shared a bed" she admitted as shock covered Lanie's face. "I mean he slept above the duvet and I was under it but he did it so I felt safe and confident and I really did Lanie" she admitted.

"I've never seen you smile like that when talking about someone" Lanie commented, taking in her friend's giant grin as Kate's cheeks began to burn with embarrassment. "He means a lot to you doesn't he?" Lanie asked as Kate nodded slowly, thinking about everything the writer had done for her since she'd known him.

"I've told him things that I've never told anyone before" Kate admitted as the writer stared at her for a moment. "I'm meeting his daughter tonight actually, I'm going around for dinner and he wants me to finally meet her" Kate smiled.

"He has a daughter? Your friend has a boyfriend?" the medical examiner asked as Kate nodded and smiled before grabbing the nail polish and starting her nails again.

"Alexis, she's his whole world" the brunette laughed as Lanie smiled at her before nodding. "She's the reason Rick broke up with his girlfriend, even though she sounded like a horrible person in the first place" Kate commented as Lanie nodded slowly, moving to take another pot of nail polish before starting her own nails.

"Talking about relationships, what's going on with Will?" Lanie asked, concentrating on her nails as Kate sighed and finished hers before relaxing back and staring at them. She wasn't normally a girly girl but she enjoyed her occasional pampering sessions with the ME. They gave her some time to get away from the real world and just enjoy being a woman for once!

"We're fighting again" Kate said simply as Lanie groaned. The last time Kate and Will had had a fighting period was around the time he was starting to ask too many questions about her parents, something that everyone at the precinct knew to avoid. Kate was protective about her personal life and when she said no to answering something, she meant no and she'd got extremely angry when Will didn't get that three months into their relationship which had ultimately ended up with a two week long argument between the two. "He's angry because I won't stop being friends with Rick! He's not being a particularly pleasant person at the moment and I'm not sure whether I want to go out with him anymore" she admitted as shock covered Lanie's face. Kate was thinking of ending things with Will? Why would she do that? Kate and Will worked, everyone said it! They just understood each other!

"He must have really upset you Kate for you to be even considering that" Lanie observed as Kate shrugged and shut her eyes, not wanting to think about anything but her day. She had her day with Lanie to enjoy and her dinner with Rick and Alexis and she just wanted to enjoy herself, she didn't want to spend her day thinking about what Will had said earlier. "I thought you were happy with Will".

"I was and then he started being a complete ass since I started spending time with Rick" she admitted. "He accused me of having an affair with Rick when Will actually hadn't woken up when I tried to get him up because I had a nightmare and therefore I went and found someone else who could just make me feel better. Rick was looking after me and he doesn't understand that, he doesn't understand that Rick is just my friend. I'm not interested in having sex with him" she declared as Lanie nodded slowly.

"Well Rick certainly made an impression on Javier, Kevin and him are completely obsessed with him" Lanie laughed as Kate rolled her eyes. "I'm not joking, since he brought them lunch all they do is talk about how brilliant he is and how funny he is! I'm sure there's a new bromance going on there" she joked as Kate laughed, unable to stop herself from smiling at the idea. She was happy that Ryan and Esposito liked him! "And he seemed nice, especially if he brought you all lunch" Lanie commented.

"We didn't know you were on a break Lanie otherwise we'd have asked you to come and join us, Rick brought enough food to feed practically a whole army" Kate explained as she looked across at her friend who rolled her eyes before smiling across at her. "Talking of Javier, you two seem to be teasing each other a lot more than normal" she commented.

"Annoying each other is more like it" Lanie muttered as Kate laughed.

"We all know you like each other, why don't you just go for it Lanie?" Kate questioned as she looked at her friend. "You'd be a cute couple" the brunette smiled.

"When Javier Esposito learns how to be a gentleman then I might think about it" Lanie stated before standing up. "Want a glass of wine?" she asked.

"Isn't it too early for a drink?" Kate questioned.

"It's never too early on a girly day and anyway it's midday, it's a reasonable hour for a glass" she explained, standing up quickly as Kate laughed and watched as she disappeared into the kitchen to pour two glasses of wine. Standing there as she finished pouring Kate's glass, Lanie sighed as she looked across at her friend who was currently playing with her phone. "What's put that smile on your face?" Lanie asked as Kate smiled and shook her head, putting the phone back before relaxing back in her chair. "Come on tell me, don't keep secrets from me Kate" she moaned as Kate laughed and watched as the ME approached her with the two glasses of wine.

"I asked whether Rick wanted me to bring anything and he just said something nice, he always says the right things" she laughed, shocking Lanie slightly. Kate Beckett was turning giggly because of a man! What was going on?

"Katherine Beckett, that man is doing weird things to your brain! You're becoming a giggly girl" Lanie declared as Kate shook her head and laughed. "What is happening to you?"

"I am not giggly Lanie" Kate moaned as Lanie laughed and took a sip of her drink. "I'm just excited, I get to spend the day with you and the evening with Rick, it's a good day off work for me. Don't have enough time to get bored" she explained as Lanie nodded slowly, still watching the brunette as she took a gentle sip of her drink. "Why are you staring at me?" she asked.

"Just wondering what's happening to you Kate" she declared.

XOOXOXOXOXOXXO

"Where did you meet her again dad?" Alexis asked as she sat on the couch and looked at her father as he continued to grate cheese in the kitchen for their dinner.

"I met her at a book signing sweetheart" he admitted as confusion covered her face. "I know, I know I said I would never make friends with anyone who went to book signings but she's different to everyone else sweetheart, you'll understand when you meet her" he explained as the redhead nodded slowly before turning around when a knock at the front door rang through the apartment. "And that will be her now" he smiled, moving out of the kitchen as Alexis watched her father as he approached the door and opened it, laughing at something before disappearing from sight for a moment. "You don't need to be nervous" Alexis heard her father say as he appeared again, this time holding onto someone's hand.

"What if she doesn't like me Rick?" Kate asked quietly, the redhead smiling when she finally saw the woman for the first time. This woman was defiantly different to the rest of the women that she'd met through her dad! "Hi" Kate smiled, looking across at the redhead who was kneeling down on the couch.

"Hi" Alexis beamed, moving off the couch before walking over and cuddling into her father's side. "You're Kate?" she asked quickly as the brunette nodded and smiled at her, guessing that Rick had told the little girl about her. "I'm Alexis" the redhead smiled, introducing herself as the brunette nodded.

"I've heard a lot about you, you're defiantly your father's world" Kate explained as Alexis beamed up at her father who beamed. "So what are we having for dinner?" Kate asked quickly, looking at the writer who laughed and began to walk towards the kitchen, Alexis and Kate following him in silence as Rick stopped and turned to look at them.

"We're making pizzas" Rick cheered as Kate laughed and looked at the selection of pizza toppings that were covering the kitchen side. "I went a bit crazy witht eh shopping but I wasn't sure what you liked" he explained as Kate nodded slowly and laughed, her head shaking as the writer look at the outfit she was wearing, Alexis doing the same before biting into her lip.

"You might want to change" Alexis stated as Kate looked at her quickly. Change? Why did she need to change? "Dad's not the best at keeping things in the bowls or on the pizza, you normally get more on you" she admitted as Kate laughed and nodded, finally understanding. She was wearing white and the red sauce that was waiting for them to use would never come out.

"You can wear a pair of my sweats again and a t-shirt" Rick explained as Kate nodded again, smiling when the writer began to walk towards his bedroom. "Come on" he called out as she laughed and nodded, following him quickly as Alexis watched them. She liked Kate, she really liked Kate. "I think she likes you" Rick admitted as they entered his bedroom, the brunette smiling as she took in what he'd said. "She's normally really shy but with you" he declared as she shrugged.

"I'm just magic" she joked.

"You must be" he smiled before going through his drawers and digging out a pair of sweats and two t-shirts. "Batman or Spiderman?" he asked as she stared at him, laughing when he held up the two different themed t-shirts.

"Batman of course" she stated, reaching across for it as he laughed and passed it to her. "Correct answer?" she asked.

"Of course" he smiled, moving towards the door as she took the sweats off him as well. "We'll be in the kitchen when you're done" he explained as she nodded slowly and smiled, watching as he shut the door behind him and disappeared. Changing quickly, Kate sighed as she folded her clothes and rested them on the end of his bed, her fingers running across the smooth duvet slowly as a small smile decorated her face. Why did his bed have to be so welcoming? Why did he just make her feel safe and comfortable while her own boyfriend made her feel uncomfortable and awkward? Hearing a small knock on the door, Kate quickly turned to stare at it.

"Come in" she called out, surprised when Alexis walked into the room. "Hi" Kate whispered.

"I brought you something to tie your hair back with, it's horrible getting pizza out" the redhead giggled as Kate slowly took the hairband from her before pulling her hair back away from her face. "You're really pretty" Alexis blurted out.

"Thank you, so are you! I love your hair colour" Kate admitted, not lying as she stared at Alexis' red hair and blue eyes, amazed at how beautiful a child she was. She was defiantly Rick's child, the deep blue eyes that you could get lost in made that pretty clear.

"I used to get teased about it" the redhead admitted as she played with the ends of her hair as Kate moved to sit on the edge of the bed, Alexis doing the same a few seconds later. "They used to say I was a carrot but daddy said that was a good thing because they're his favourite vegetables and I'm his favourite girl" she admitted.

"Well your daddy's right" Kate smiled before laughing. "Want to know a secret?" Kate asked as the little girl nodded and smiled. "Carrots are my favourite too" she admitted as Alexis beamed. "I mean, carrots are the best! Who would want anything else?" she laughed as Alexis smiled, the two of them laughing as Rick entered the room.

"Dad carrots are Kate's favourite vegetables too" Alexis cheered as she jumped off the bed and ran over to her father as Kate smiled from her seat. "Can we make pizza now?" she asked.

"The belly monster hungry Lex?" Rick asked as Alexis nodded and ran out of the room while Kate just smiled at him.

"You're good with her Rick, you're really good with her" Kate commented as he smiled and stared at her for a moment, the two of them laughing when her stomach began to make noises.

"I think your belly monster is hungry too Miss Beckett" he teased as she rolled her eyes, squealing when he lifted her into his arms.

"What are you doing?" Kate laughed as he carried her out of the room, running out of the room with her as she continued to giggle, clinging onto him in the hope that she wouldn't fall out of his arms.

"Saving you from the monster" he stated as she continued to laugh, Alexis giggling as she watched the interaction between her father and the woman he was currently holding in his arms, the two of them laughing at what had just happened. "Right pizza" he declared, finally allowing Kate to get to her feet before entering the kitchen with her. "Ready sous chef?" Rick asked as he looked down at his daughter.

"Ready chef" Alexis cheered as Kate laughed, enjoying watching the interaction between father and daughter. Rick was so wonderful with her and she couldn't believe how fantastic a kid Alexis was. "Are you going to help Kate?" the redhead asked, Kate smiling as she realised that the little girl was practically giving her permission to enter their lives.

"I'd love to help you make pizza" Kate admitted, moving towards them before smiling. Why did this just seem so perfectly natural to her?

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

"Your hair is all white Kate" Alexis laughed as she stared at Kate's hair, the brunette laughing as she ran through her fingers through her hair, feeling the flour in her hair. "I told you dad can't stop getting it everywhere" the redhead giggled as Kate nodded and turned to look at the flour and tomato sauce covered writer who was removing their pizzas and smiling across at her as she bit into her lip for a moment.

"What's wrong?" he asked as confusion covered her face. "You do that when you're nervous or when you're thinking about something" he explained as she smiled and shook her head, not wanting to talk about everything right now! She was having fun with Alexis, she was enjoying being part of the family group and she didn't want her thoughts to destroy everything that was good about her day. Her thoughts about Will and how he probably was waiting for her at her apartment, even though she'd told him not too! She didn't want to go home; she didn't want to ruin her day with another fight when she was having so much fight! "Kate?" he whispered, moving closer to her as he rested the pizzas on the side and looked at her.

"Can we talk about it later?" she asked quietly as he nodded and smiled at her, relaxing when a small smile began to appear on her face. "These look amazing Rick, Alexis" Kate declared, staring at the food as Alexis jumped up and down so she could see. "I think we've done a good job" she admitted.

"Well we are pizza experts here at the Castle household" Rick admitted as Alexis nodded, smiling when her father placed her pizza onto a plate before passing it to her. Watching as Alexis approached the table and sat down; Kate smiled as the writer placed her own pizza on a plate and held it up to her. "Looks good" he commented.

"I haven't been able to get pizza like this in ages, Will hates mushrooms…" she sighed before falling silent and taking the plate from him, the writer smiling weakly as she shook her head. She couldn't talk about this now! "Thank you" she smiled as Rick nodded, watching as she slowly walked towards the table and sat opposite his daughter. He was amazed at how well they were getting on! Alexis never got on well with people brought home and since his relationship with Gina he was worried about whether she'd hate Kate as well, scared that Kate was taking up too much of his time but she obviously liked the brunette.

"Are you going to come and join us Castle?" Kate called out as the writer nodded and grabbed his pizza, joining them at the table just as Kate began to laugh at something Alexis had said.

"What's so funny?" Rick asked as Kate shook her head, attempting to calm herself down as Alexis smiled at her. "Tell me, tell me, tell me. You're not allowed to keep secrets from me" he moaned, Alexis' head shaking as she looked at Kate who nodded, promising not to tell him what Alexis had said. "You're bullies you know" he declared.

"I'm sure you can cope" Kate smiled, taking a bite of her pizza before moaning. "God that's good" she said quietly as she shut her eyes for a moment, Alexis beaming as she watched her for a moment before eating her own meal in silence. "You two defiantly know how to make a good pizza" she commented.

"We've had a lot of practise" Rick admitted as Alexis nodded in agreement. "We like cooking don't we Alexis?"

"I like it when daddy sticks to the recipe, he makes some really horrid things when he's trying to be inventive" Alexis admitted, earning a glare from her father before he laughed. "The smorlett" she moaned.

"What is that?" Kate asked in shock, turning to look at the man who was grinning beside her.

"A smore and an omelette in one" he stated, laughing at the disgusted look that took over her face. "It was nice, Alexis doesn't have the same amazing taste buds as me" he explained as Alexis rolled her eyes, the detective laughing as she took in the interaction between the two Castle's.

"Don't ever make me one" Kate warned him as he smiled.

"You'd have to stay for breakfast" he stated as she shrugged, taking another bite of her pizza as he watched her for a moment. What was going on with her? She seemed so distant at times and that worried him. It worried him to see her so confused.

XOXOOXXOXOOXOXOXO

"She's fast asleep" Rick smiled as he walked towards the couch, sighing when he found the brunette lying across the couch fast asleep, her wine glass full on the coffee table. "And so are you" he sighed, walking towards her before leaning down and gently lifting her into her arms, desperately trying not to wake her up too much. She needed to sleep, that was obvious and whatever she needed to talk about could wake. Feeling her move slightly, Rick stopped and felt the smile cover his face when Kate buried her face against his chest and sighed. "Sleepy head" he whispered, kicking his bedroom door open gently before resting her on the bed, surprised to find that her fist had curled up into his t-shirt, stopping him from moving away. "Kate you need to let go so I can go to bed" he declared as she shook her head. "Kate" he whispered.

"Stay" she mumbled as he watched her for a moment. "Stay Rick" she whispered, keeping her eyes shut as the writer brushed the stray hair away from her face. She really was a beautiful woman, there was no doubting that but there was still a small childlike innocence to her. She was scared of being alone and he hated seeing the fear that was starting to decorate her face as she kept her eyes firmly shut.

"If your boyfriend shoots me for sleeping with you Kate, you have to tell him it was all your fault" he smiled as he moved to lie down beside her, a small sigh leaving his lips when she turned and curled into his arms. Friend's didn't do this! Friend's didn't cuddle in bed so why did he feel so comfortable with her?

"Shshshsh I'm sleeping" she warned as Rick nodded, knowing that Kate had had the last word for the night.

**Once again thank you for your reviews, they mean so much to me and I love hearing your opinions and ideas. I really do love hearing from you so please keep reviewing and I will attempt to update again soon!**


	8. Chapter 8

Turning over as she slowly began to wake up, Kate sighed as she stretched and slowly opened her eyes, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip to stop the smile that was forming at the fact that Rick was fast asleep beside her. He really stayed when she'd asked him too. Running her finger up to brush back a stray piece of hair, Kate laughed as he shook his head and moved closer to her, her smile growing as she took in everything. She'd slept in his bed, with him, again and she'd slept well! Hearing her phone ring, Kate groaned as she slowly moved out of the bed, laughing when the writer pulled her back.

"Stay" he whispered, almost sounding like her the previous evening. Relaxing back on the bed, Kate sighed as she turned her head to look at the man beside her, surprised to see him looking at her. "Hi" he smiled gently as she nodded and cuddled into his arms. "This isn't normal is it?" he asked.

"I don't care Rick, I really don't care" she stated, remaining in his arms as he sighed, her phone still ringing in the other room. "I should get that, it might be work" she admitted as he nodded, allowing her out of his arms before watching as she climbed out of the bed and ran towards the door, smiling at him before she disappeared from sight. Running towards her purse, Kate sighed as she dug out her bag and stared at the contact. Home! So Will was at her house! Slowly moving back to Rick's room with her screaming phone in her hands, Kate sighed as she sat down on his bed and stared at him. "I don't want to answer" she admitted.

"Who is it?" he asked quietly.

"Will, he didn't listen to me and stayed at mine last night" she declared as he slowly took the phone from her and hung up as she bit into her lip. "Why did you do that?" she asked, moving to sit beside him as the writer rested the phone down on the bed, not surprised when it started ringing a few seconds later. "He'll just keep calling until I answer, he'll want to know where I am" she declared.

"Then turn it off" he stated as she smiled and leant across, turning her cell phone off before relaxing back against the bed before laughing. "Feel better?" he asked as she nodded and looked up to see him staring down at her with a small smile covering her face. "What's going on between you and Will anyway?" he asked as she shook her head and sighed. "Come on, tell me" he declared, lying down beside her as she stared at him.

"He's so different to the Will I first started dating" she admitted as Rick remained silent, noticing the sadness that was covering her face. "When we first started dating he was fun and understanding and I liked being around him but now, now I just look at him and ask myself why I'm still in this hopeless relationship. He's starting to control my life, saying who I can and can't be friends with, saying that I shouldn't be spending any time with you and he was horrid when I told him about meeting Alexis" she declared.

"He didn't say anything about her did he?" Rick questioned as she shook her head.

"He was just saying how Alexis is none of my business and things like that and I got angry and ordered that he leave, he's just being such a bastard and I don't want to be around him right now. I don't think I even want him in my life anymore" she explained as he nodded slowly, realising why she'd allowed herself to fall asleep on his couch. She didn't want to go home to the boyfriend she knew was going to be at her apartment still. "Thank you for letting me stay last night, I don't think I could have gone through another argument" she whispered, leaning across to press a cheek before running her fingers through his crazy hair. "Your bed hair is brilliant Rick" she laughed, staring at him as he laughed at what she'd just said.

"I should get up, make Alexis breakfast before she goes to school" he declared as she nodded and moved, giving him the space to climb out of bed and approach the bedroom door. "Want to help me?" he questioned as the brunette nodded and followed him out of the room before they walked into the kitchen.

"What does Alexis like for breakfast?" Kate asked.

"Fruit and yoghurt" he explained as shock covered Kate's face. "I've tried to give her sugary filled substance but she's too mature for my crazy concepts" he declared as she laughed and watched as he grabbed an apple and started to cut it into pieces. Reaching across, Kate smiled as she stole a slice before biting into it and beaming while the writer shook his head at her before laughing. Hearing footsteps, Kate smiled as she turned to see Alexis running towards them, shock covering the brunette's face when the redhead tightly wrapped her arms around her. "Nice to see you too pumpkin" Rick murmured as he watched the interaction between the two women in his life.

"You're here all the time though daddy, Kate's never here" Alexis admitted as Rick rolled his eyes, smiling when the brunette ran her fingers through Alexis' hair for a moment before looking across at her friend. "Is that my breakfast daddy?" the redhead asked as Rick nodded, passing the fruit and yoghurt filled bowl to his daughter who quickly moved towards the table and sat down in silence.

"Do you want some fruit Kate?" Rick asked as she shook her head and turned to look at the clock. She really should be getting for work but she didn't have any clothes suitable for work with her! "You okay Kate?" he questioned as she nodded and moved towards her purse, pulling out her car keys before sighing. "Want me to go and get whatever you need?" he asked as she nodded and passed him her keys.

"There's a bag in the back of the car, it has my spare work clothes in" she admitted as he nodded, a small smile decorating her face as he moved away and quietly left the apartment. "So what are you doing at school today?" Kate asked, walking towards the table as Alexis began to think of things to tell her.

"Lots and lots of work hopefully" Alexis smiled as Kate laughed and nodded. This little girl was defiantly different to her father when it came to work commitments. "People think I'm odd because I like work but it's fun and I like learning" the redhead continued as Kate watched her in amazement. This girl seemed so mature and so lovely, she couldn't understand why anyone would think she was odd for wanting to enjoy her lessons!

"I don't think you're odd Alexis, I actually think you're rather brilliant and if anyone says that about you then you can tell them that a cop says that you're a brilliant person" Kate smiled as shock covered Alexis' face.

"You're a cop?" the redhead asked as Kate nodded.

"A detective" Kate smiled before reaching across for her purse and removing her badge, passing it to the little girl who held onto it tightly. "This is my badge; it lets me arrest all the bad people. I can't do anything without it" she explained as Alexis quickly passed it back to her, a laugh leaving her lips as she shook her head and looked at Alexis. "I'm not chasing anyone right now so you can keep it until I leave" she explained.

"What's the number?" Alexis asked, running her finger over the set of the numbers as Kate smiled.

"That's me" she explained. "That's basically me in a number, it's the way we identify ourselves from other cops" she stated as the redhead nodded, neither of them noticing when the writer walked in with Kate's other bag.

"What's that pumpkin?" Rick asked, smiling when Alexis held it up so he could see it from where he was standing.

"It's Kate badge, she's allowed to catch bad guys when she has it" Alexis explained as the writer nodded and walked towards the table, passing the bag he was holding to the brunette who smiled up at him before standing.

"Will you look after my badge while I go and get ready?" Kate asked as Alexis nodded, clinging onto it tightly as Kate slowly moved away from the table and approached the writer's bedroom, turning her head to see that the writer was watching her. "Stop staring at me, it's creepy" she laughed, rolling her eyes when the writer quickly turned away from her and started talking to his daughter.

XOOXOXOXOXXOXO

"If Will gives you a hard time tonight, you're free to come over, we don't have any plans" Rick promised as Kate stood in the street later that evening, staring up at her apartment building as she attempted to think of what to say or do. Did she really want to go home? She'd called her apartment around an hour ago, not surprised to find that Will had answered the phone and she'd hung up before saying anything! Why couldn't he just listen to her? "Alexis really enjoyed having you round, we'd really like you to come to dinner again" he admitted.

"I'd like that; she's an amazing little girl Rick. Everything you said about her was right" Kate smiled as she slowly moved towards the building and opened the door, entering the building in silence as she smiled across at one of her neighbours before sighing. "Can I really come to yours if things go bad?" she asked.

"Kate our home is your home" he said simply as she smiled weakly, slowly walking up the stairs as she thought about what she was going to say to him. Did she tell him everything? Did she admit that she'd slept in the same bed as the writer again? Did she attempt to explain her relationship with the writer? Did she tell him about Alexis? For the first time in her life she didn't know to act and she didn't even know what to do when she entered her apartment. How did she get Will out of her home and her life? Did she want him out of her life? Reaching her floor, Kate sighed as she quickly approached her apartment door before unlocking it and stepping inside, shock covering her face as she took in what she saw. This couldn't be happening!

**It's short and I know I left it on a cliff hanger but I hope you review and if I get a certain amount then I'll probably review by tomorrow. Also, your response to the last chapter was amazing and I really appreciate all your comments, you really are amazing and I know I'm terrible at replying but I am going to make more of an effort to show each one of you how much your time and effort in writing a review means to me! **


	9. Chapter 9

She couldn't think of words as she stood in the doorway and stared at her apartment! What had he done? Why had he done it? And why was he just smiling at her comfortably from his seat on her couch? Moving into the apartment, Kate felt the tears run down her cheeks as she shook her head and stared at the empty box that was resting beside Will while the contents covered the whole of her coffee table. He'd gone through her things; he'd gone through the numerous boxes under her bed! What gave him the bloody right to do that?

"Get out" she hissed as Will smiled at her. "Get out of my house and don't come back, don't come back again. I never want to see you again you bastard" she shouted as he stood up and walked towards her, holding one of the pieces of papers in his hands. "You bastard, you absolute bastard! What gave you the bloody right?" she hissed, hitting his chest before screaming when he grabbed hold of her wrists tightly. "Get out, just get out" she screamed as he shook his head and watched her for a moment before practically dragging her towards the table.

"Keeping things from me Kate?" Will asked as he pushed her down and stared at the photos, tears filling her eyes as she stared at everyone. "But I'm not the only one you keep things from am I Kate?" he declared as she looked up at him in confusion. "Because no one at work knew about this when I called them to ask whether this was real" he declared as she shook her head slowly. No! No, he couldn't have done that! "All it took was one phone to Ryan who quickly asked Esposito whether he'd ever heard about it and it'll have gone around the precinct now Kate. Katherine Beckett, the daughter of murdered Johanna Beckett. The little girl who dropped everything to become a cop, to solve her mom's murder" he smiled as she shook her head and stared at him for a moment before grabbing the pieces of paper and stuffing them into the box. He had no right! He had no right to do this!

"Get out of my home, get out of my life" she screamed, clinging onto the box as tears ran down her cheeks. "Just get out" she sobbed, giving up on fighting! He knew now, the bastard knew and he'd told everyone her secret! Everyone was going to know! No wonder Espo and Ryan had been giving her strange looks all day and Lanie had been calling her. They all wanted to know! They all wanted the gossip on whether her mom had been murdered or not! They were probably all talking about it now, discussing it amongst themselves, laughing at her big secret!

"Do you really think your writer is going to stay with you when he finds all of this out? You're broken Kate, everyone can see it! You're trying to fight the whole world because you want to make the man who killed her pay and no one's going to love you when you're so cold hearted and bloody selfish! Do you really think Richard Castle is going to fall in love with you and you'll get your happily ever after because really, he's a celebrity! He can have whoever he wants, he can have models and actresses and people like him! Why would he want you? Why would he want to do more than just fuck you the once and then throw you away?" Will screamed as she shook her head! It wasn't true, it couldn't be true! He didn't know Rick, Rick wasn't like that! "And you know what Kate, I don't think I want to be with you anymore anyway! I don't want to be with a liar so have fun getting your heart broken when the writer realises that you're nothing more than a broken little girl. He'll try and fix you Kate and you'll get angry and just shout and scream and be a child" he declared, grabbing his jacket as Kate remained on the floor while her arms remained wrapped the box and tears running down her cheeks. "I'm getting my new start in Boston and you'll just be stuck here, trying to fight the whole fucking world" he declared, moving towards the door as she remained perfectly quiet. "Richard Castle doesn't love you Kate; he probably doesn't even like you! You're a liar" he shouted before storming out of the apartment, tears running down her cheeks as she clung onto the box. Staring at the door in tears, Kate sobbed as she stared down at the box full of creased papers and files that were no longer in the order that she'd originally placed them in. Hearing her phone ring, Kate grabbed it to see Rick's name flashing up on the screen. She couldn't talk to him! She couldn't talk to him when Will was probably right! Who would want her when she was a liar to her friends and colleagues? He was probably right that Rick just wanted to get her into bed and then he'd leave her! Turning the phone off, Kate sobbed as she grabbed a blanket and cushion off the couch before resting them on the ground and lying down on the floor beside the coffee table. She didn't want to talk to anyone, she didn't want to see anyone, she didn't want their pity or their compassion! She just wanted her control back.

XOOXOXOOXOXOOXOXOXXO

"Have you heard anything from Kate?" Lanie asked as she walked towards the two detectives who were sitting at Esposito's desk, their heads shaking as they thought about what they'd learnt. Kate Beckett's mother had been murdered and none of them had known! "Guys, she had her reasons for not telling her but right now she's not answering our calls and that's more worrying" the medical examiner explained as Javier nodded and sighed.

"Doesn't anyone have that writer's number?" Ryan asked as Lanie and Esposito shook their heads, realising that they didn't actually know much about the writer and it seemed that they didn't know very much about their friend and colleague. "Surely there's some way we can get hold of him, he's probably heard from Kate" he explained as Esposito nodded and moved towards his computer.

"What are you doing?" Lanie asked.

"Getting Beckett's phone records" he explained as Kevin stood up. "Hey, we don't know where she is or what she's doing and we've just learnt something that she probably didn't want us to know for a reason! I think that's a decent enough reason to try and find some way of getting hold of her. She won't want to talk to us, we've learnt the truth but Rick might not know and we know that Kate talks to him" he declared, Lanie nodding slowly as she realised that he was probably right. Remaining silent for a moment as Javier attempted to find the writer's number, Lanie sighed as she slowly walked towards him and looked to see him going through the numbers on the screen.

"That's my number" Lanie explained as he nodded.

"That's mine, that's Kevin's and that one is Will's" he explained as the ME nodded slowly and stared at him for a moment. "So I'm guessing that that one is Rick's" he stated, pointing at one of the numbers as Lanie grabbed her phone and dialled, waiting desperately for a response.

"Richard Castle" a voice declared as Lanie breathed a sigh of relief. "Hello?" he asked.

"Hi, my name's Lanie, I'm a friend of Kate's" Lanie explained as she sat on the edge of Javier's desk and waited for him to respond.

"Of course, have you heard from her? She's not been answering her phone and she was worried when I took her home after she'd finished work" he declared quickly, obviously worried, as she groaned! That wasn't what she wanted to hear!

"We were calling to ask whether you'd hear from her" Lanie admitted as the writer groaned. "Can you go over to her apartment? See whether she's there?" Lanie asked as Rick nodded and moved to grab his jacket off his chair. "There's a spare key above her apartment door" she admitted as Javier looked up at her. Why hadn't Lanie told them that? They could have gone over and they wouldn't have had to call and worry the writer.

"Sure, I'll call you when I get there" he explained.

"Thank you" Lanie stated before they said goodbye and she hung up. Looking at Javier, she sighed as she watched him for a moment. "What? She wouldn't want to see us would she?!" Lanie declared as the two men nodded, resting back in their chairs as they waited for the writer to call them back with news on the detective.

XOXOXOOXOXOO

"Kate?" Rick asked as he unlocked the apartment to find that it was dark and music was playing in the background quietly. Moving his hand across, Rick sighed as he found the light switch and turned it on, amazed to see the brunette curled up in the corner with a pile of books around her and tears running down her cheeks while a box remained pressed against her chest. She seemed so tiny and afraid and that worried him. "Kate?" he questioned, moving towards her as she remained perfectly still and quiet! Kneeling down, the writer sighed as he found her cradling her hand, blood covering her skin as he looked at her. "Can I see your hand?" he asked quietly as she shook her head. "Hey, trust me, I just want to make sure your hand is okay" he explained, leaning across to gently take hold of her hand, amazed at the cut that was covering her palm. "Where do you keep your antiseptic?" he asked.

"Bathroom" she whispered as he nodded and stood up, gently letting go of her hand as she shut her eyes for a moment, the writer approaching her bedroom before disappearing into her en-suite. Grabbing the first aid kit from inside the bathroom, Rick sighed as he walked out into the bedroom to see that clothes were covering the floor and drawers were forced open and boxes were covering the floor. What the hell was going on? Looking down at the kit he was holding, Rick realised that he had to get back to her, the memory forcing him out of her bedroom and towards the corner she was practically cowering in.

"Give me your hand again" he declared as he sat down beside her and gently took hold of her hand. "Do you want to tell me what happened?" he asked as she shook her head. "Kate, everyone's worried, Lanie called me asking about you" he declared, gently wiping the blood off her hand as she remained perfectly silent. "Okay, don't tell me but I'm not leaving you alone like this" he explained before groaning. "What's that smell?" he asked as she shook her head, watching as he looked around to see a smashed whiskey bottle on the ground but no liquid surrounding it. "Kate please tell me you've not drunk a whole bottle" he declared as she remained perfectly still. Finding a bandage as he waited for an answer, Rick gently wrapped her hand up in the material as tears ran down her cheeks. Why did he have to be so gentle towards her? Why did he have to be so caring and worried about her? "Let's get you to bed" he whispered, amazed when she moved away from him and shook her head. "What's wrong?"

"Why are you here?" she asked, the alcohol on her breath obvious.

"I'm here because I was worried and your friends were worried and we care about you" he declared as she shook her head. "Kate what the hell did he do with you?" Rick asked as she stared at him, tears running down her cheeks as she watched him for a moment. "I'll be back in one second" he stated, the brunette shrugging as he stood up and disappeared into her bedroom again. Waiting for him to return, Kate sobbed as she stared down at her perfectly bandaged hand. Will couldn't be right could he? Rick was here caring for her, surely that meant something! Surely that meant he cared for her, that she was something more than the chance of one night? Hearing the floorboard creak, Kate turned to see the writer with a bag thrown over his shoulder.

"What's that for?" she asked quietly.

"You're coming to my house Kate" he declared as she shook her head. "I'm not taking no as an answer Katherine Beckett so go and find some shoes" he stated as she slowly stood up, wobbling on her legs as he rested his hands on her hips to stop her from falling down. "Regretting drinking the whole bottle?" he asked as she nodded, not complaining when he lifted her into his arms, her arms wrapping around his neck as she buried her face into his neck. "What's he done to hurt you Kate?" he asked quietly before carrying her out of the apartment, knowing that he needed to call Lanie when he got her back to his apartment.

XOOXOXOXOXOXOXO

"Richard?" Martha asked as she opened the door to see her son holding a young woman in his arms, shock covering her face. "Who's that Richard?" she asked as the writer shook his head and entered the apartment before approaching his bedroom and disappearing from his mother's sight. He didn't want to answer any questions; he just wanted to get Kate back to her normal confident and happy self. Resting the brunette down on the bed, Rick sighed as she slowly opened her eyes and stared at the writer for a moment before entwining her fingers with his and smiling weakly at him.

"You feeling better sweetheart?" Rick asked gently as she shrugged and shut her eyes for a moment, relaxing back against his headboard as he sighed. "I have to call Lanie and get you some water but I'll be right back after that" he promised as she held onto his hand and shook her head. She didn't want him to leave; she wanted him to stay with her so he wouldn't disappear from her life. "I'll be right back I promise but you need a glass of water and I promised I'd call Lanie when I found you".

"You'll come back?" she asked as he nodded and gently pressed a kiss to her forehead. "You won't tell them I'm staying here will you?" Kate asked quietly as the writer stared at her for a moment. "I don't want them looking for me" she whispered.

"Where do you want me to say that you are?" he asked.

"At my dad's cabin, say I've needed to get out of town for a while" she stated as he nodded slowly and stood up, watching as she curled up on the bed and shut her eyes. Walking out of the room, Rick sighed as he entered the kitchen to see his mother holding onto a glass of wine and concern covering her face.

"Who was that?" Martha asked as Rick poured the glass of water and sighed as he turned to look at her.

"Kate- she's not feeling very well so I brought her here, I don't want to leave her on her own" he explained as Martha nodded slowly, watching as her son grabbed the phone and dialled. Listening as her son practically lied to the person down the phone, Martha rolled her eyes before smiling when Rick put the phone down and grabbed the glass of water before disappearing into the bedroom again. "Sleepy?" he asked as she nodded, her eyes remaining shut as he sat down beside her. "Do you want to talk?" he questioned, already knowing the answer.

"No" she said simply as the writer nodded. "Can I have a cuddle though?" she asked as Rick smiled and moved to wrap his arms around her as she buried her face into his chest and sighed. Rick wasn't doing this to sleep with her! Rick liked her! Rick was her friend and he wouldn't do what Will had told her. Hearing her start to sob, Rick quickly looked down to see her shaking in his arms.

"Whatever he's done we can make it better okay? You just need to tell me so I can help you Kate" he stated as she began to calm down, desperate to gain control again. She needed to stop being such an emotional wreck! She was Detective Beckett, she was strong, she didn't cry like this over things! "I'm always going to be here when you need me Kate so don't go and do something stupid like drinking a while bottle again because you're going to regret it" he declared ass he sighed and stared at him for a moment.

"It wasn't the whole bottle; it was a couple of glasses! I'd drunk the rest over time" she admitted as he nodded slowly and looked at her, glad that she wasn't as drunk as he'd thought she was. "Can I sleep here?" she asked as he nodded, watching her for a moment as she smiled.

"I wasn't going to let you sleep anywhere else" he explained simply as Kate smiled and cuddled into his side, relaxing back as she shut her eyes and sighed, enjoying the warmth of his arms as she relaxed and allowed herself to slowly fall asleep in his arms.

**Your response was amazing to the last chapter and I really hope that you continued to respond as well as you did then! I adore hearing from you and it really makes me smile and want to right more! **

**Also a random question that does relate to the story- if Castle and Beckett attended a charity event together, what would you like to see happen? **


	10. Chapter 10

"Come on, you're coming out tonight with me" he declared as he entered the office to see Kate sat on the couch with one of his books. She'd taken some personal time off work and was avoiding phone calls from everyone and that worried him! She hadn't even left his apartment since he'd brought her there four days ago! He didn't even know what had gotten her into this state of self-isolation because she kept avoiding the conversation. "I've got a charity event and I'm allowed to bring someone so you're going to go out Kate, you're going to buy yourself a dress and some shoes and whatever you need and you're going to enjoy yourself" he explained as she slowly shook her head. She didn't want to go out! She didn't want to risk bumping into someone who now knew her secret and thought she was a liar. "Kate, I'm not taking no as an answer so go and get changed and then get going to the shops to find something nice" he declared as he walked towards her and pulled her off the couch. "You could take Alexis with you if you want, she loves dress shopping".

"Are you sure?" Kate asked quietly.

"You're a cop, I trust you not to lose my daughter and she likes spending time with you! She's loved having you here" the writer admitted as Kate smiled weakly before nodding, guessing that it might be fun to go out for the evening into the writer's world of glamour and mystery! "Find something you like Kate and just have some fun" Rick explained as she nodded and moved towards the door. "Go and get dressed, I'll get Alexis ready" he said quietly as she slowly walked out of the room, the writer smiling as he realised that he'd gotten Kate to agree to come with him tonight. Walking out of the office, Rick smiled as he found his daughter sat on the couch with her book. "Pumpkin do you want to go shopping with Kate?" Rick asked as Alexis turned and nodded.

"What are we shopping for?" Alexis questioned, staring at him as he laughed and ran his fingers through her hair.

"Kate's coming with me to that charity event tonight so you have to help her find a beautiful dress to wear, I want you to help her find something absolutely amazing" he declared as Alexis nodded, beaming at the thought of spending the day with the brunette. "I don't care how long it takes pumpkin but I want you to help her find something that makes her feel like a princess" he explained as Alexis nodded again. "Now go and get ready" he declared, the redhead giggling before running up the stairs towards her bedroom.

"Is there anything in particular that I should wear tonight?" Kate asked as she walked towards him in a t-shirt and jeans, a small smile covering his face as he realised that she looked more like the Kate Beckett he knew.

"Something that makes you feel beautiful" Rick smiled as she blushed and bit into her lip. "Don't worry about the time or anything, try everything on! Alexis loves girly shopping and she'll love seeing you in different things" he explained as Kate nodded slowly and laughed when Alexis ran over and tightly wrapped her arms around the brunette who laughed and smiled down at her for a moment. "Now you two have fun and I'll see you later" he declared as Kate nodded and took hold of Alexis' hand as they slowly walked towards the door together, the redhead waving at her father as they left.

XOXOXOXOOXXOXO

"That's one pretty as well Kate" Alexis admitted as she pointed towards another dress as Kate nodded slowly and took it from the stack and draped it over her arm where a couple more were already resting. "Are you going to go and try them on?" the little girl questioned as Kate laughed and nodded again, approaching the changing rooms as Alexis laughed and sat down on a chair while Kate disappeared into the small room. "Are you excited about going to the charity event?" the redhead asked as she sat on the chair and waited patiently for Kate to appear.

"It's going to be interesting, I've never been to anything like it before" Kate explained from within the room before opening the door and revealing the deep red dress that she was wearing. "I don't like it" Kate said simply as she rested her hands on her hips and stared at the six year old who nodded in agreement and watched as Kate disappeared again. "Have you ever gone to an event with your dad?" she asked as Alexis began to think. Had she ever gone to an event with her dad?

"I've gone to some of his book signings and readings" Alexis admitted, smiling when Kate walked out in a deep blue dress that was covered in sequins and patterns. "I don't like it" the redhead declared, Kate nodding in agreement as she stared down at the outfit! Why had she agreed to this? She didn't do dressing up and she didn't do events? She went to work and she lived a quiet life and now she was on a personal leave and was finding a dress for a charity event! "When you came to our house you were crying, I heard you, did someone hurt you Kate?" Alexis asked as Kate shut her eyes for a moment and remained still.

"Nobody hurt me sweetheart, I promise, I just ended my relationship with my boyfriend and I was upset because he did something bad" Kate explained before zipping the dress up and smiling. She liked this one! She really liked this one! Opening the door, Kate smiled as she stepped out and stared at the six year old who beamed and nodded at the sight of her in the dress. "I was thinking about pinning it back like this" Kate explained as she held her hair back away from her face as the redhead continued to nod. "Does it look okay?"

"You look like a princess" Alexis cheered as Kate smiled and stared down at the emerald green dress she was wearing. "You look really pretty Kate" she smiled as the brunette laughed and ran her hands across the material before sighing and shutting her eyes for a moment before giggling. Who the hell was she right now? Kate Beckett didn't dress up in expensive dresses and prepare for evenings out with celebrities! She chased after criminals and got battered and bruised practically every day of her life! "Do you need to buy anything else?" the redhead asked.

"I should probably buy some new shoes, find something that goes with the dress" Kate laughed as she slowly moved towards the changing room again and closed the door behind her. Staring at herself in the mirror, Kate slowly bit into her lip as she watched herself for a moment. Was this really her? She looked so different to her normal detective self!

XOOXOXOXOXOX

"Kate darling can I come in?" Martha asked as she knocked and the door and heard Kate agree from inside, confusion covering her face as she found Kate sat on the edge of the bed in Rick's robe. "Hey, you're supposed to be going in ten minutes, are you okay darling?" the older woman asked as she approached the brunette who quickly wiped her eyes and forced a smile onto her face as the redhead sat down beside her and sighed for a moment. "You don't look at all ready" she smiled as Kate shook her head and stared at herself in the mirror. Who was she trying to kid? She didn't belong in Rick's world, she wasn't supposed to be going to events like this so why was she even thinking of going in the first place?

"I'm a detective, I run around chasing criminals, I don't dance or laugh or go to charity events with my favourite writer! This isn't me" Kate declared as she stood up and stared at the dress that was hanging on the wardrobe door. "Detective Beckett doesn't do this" she stated as Martha sighed and walked towards the younger woman who's arms were crossed.

"Darling, give Detective Beckett a night off and be Kate for just one evening" Martha smiled as the brunette stared at their reflections. "Tonight just be Kate, the young and very beautiful woman who my son wants to have with him at this event and you might even have some fun. Every girl likes to dress up and pretend to be someone else for an evening so do that" the redhead explained as Kate turned her head to look at her. "No one knows you and none of them will ever see you again so you can be anyone Kate" she explained.

"I don't want to be Detective Beckett, I don't want to be Kate with her stupid memories and her stupid ex-boyfriend" she admitted as a tear ran down her cheek, Martha sighing as she wrapped her arms around the younger woman for a moment. "Is it really possible to pretend to be someone else for one night?" the detective questioned as Martha nodded and smiled at her.

"Kate darling, I've been someone else nearly every night for the majority of my life" Martha smiled as Kate bit into her lip and turned to look at the dress she'd bought. "Go and get dressed, I'll help you with your hair and you won't even be late for this event tonight" the redhead laughed as Kate nodded and grabbed the green material before disappearing into the en-suite. Hearing the door unlock, Martha smiled as the door opened and Kate reappeared in the emerald green dress, a small smile covering her face as Martha nodded. "Beautiful darling, you look absolutely beautiful" the actress beamed as Kate laughed and moved towards the mirror. "Would you like me to do your hair?"

"Yes please" Kate smiled as her fingers played with her hair for a moment before she moved to sit down, allowing Martha to gently pin back her hair perfectly while Kate remained silent, watching her in amazement. "What are these events like Martha?" Kate questioned as Martha laughed and pinned the last strand of Kate's hair back.

"Full of people, very busy and a lot of fun but if you don't enjoy yourself I'm sure Richard will leave early, he normally gets very bored easily" the redhead explained as Kate smiled and looked at herself. She looked different; different to the woman she was every day. "You look stunning Kate, you look absolutely stunning" Martha smiled before kissing her cheek gently and standing. "And we have one minute to spare before Rick starts panicking" the actress laughed as Kate nodded and stood up, slipping into her shoes before sighing and walking towards the door. "Wait one second".

"What? Is something wrong?" Kate asked, laughing when Martha walked out of the room before reappearing again after a few moments with a bracelet in her hands. "What's that?" she questioned as Martha walked towards her and gently placed the silver blanket around her right wrist as Kate watched in amazing. "It's beautiful".

"It's mine and I'd like you to wear it tonight, think of it as helping you be someone else for the evening" Martha smiled as Kate beamed and nodded, still staring at it as Martha left the room. Approaching the door, Kate smiled as she turned once more to look at herself in the mirror before laughing and leaving the room to hear Martha and Rick talking in the distance while Alexis laughed at something.

"Are you ready Mr Castle?" Kate asked as Rick turned and stared at her in amazement. She looked wonderful, completely and utterly wonderful. "Do you like it?" she questioned, the writer nodding slowly as she turned around to reveal the back of her dress where the halter neck crossed over, still revealing some of her skin.

"You look wonderful" he smiled as she walked towards him and laughed before pressing a kiss to his cheek. "Let's go" he declared as she nodded and found his hand, squeezing it gently before waving across at Martha and Alexis who smiled at them as they left the apartment.

"Do you think Kate and daddy will fall in love one day?" Alexis asked as Martha looked down at her granddaughter. "Kate makes dad happy" she shrugged as Martha nodded, knowing that the six year old was right!

XOOXOXOXOXOXOXO

"I'm scared" Kate admitted as the car stopped and she turned to look at the writer. "Rick, I want to just be Kate tonight, I don't want to be Detective Beckett" she declared as Rick watched her. "I don't want to be the cop or the teenager who lost her mother, I just want to be Kate tonight. I want to have fun with you" she explained as he nodded and leant across to gently kiss her forehead.

"Then let's go and have some fun Kate" he declared, opening the car door as she smiled and watched him climb out before he walked over and opened the car door for her. Holding his hand out, Rick smiled as he watched her nervously lift her hand up before grabbing his and stepping out of the vehicle, amazed at the amount of camera flashes that were going off around her. "Welcome to my world" he whispered as she smiled weakly and followed him up the stairs towards the building as people continued to shout questions at them. Opening the door for her, Rick smiled as Kate stepped inside and waited for him as Kate sighed and shut her eyes for a moment, taking in the sound of music and people laughing and talking in another room. "Do you like to dance?"

"Only if I can dance with you" she admitted as he smiled and nodded, holding onto her hand as they slowly walked towards the main room. "Rick, are people going to ask me questions?" she asked.

"Probably but you don't have to answer anything you don't feel comfortable answering Kate, tonight is about having fun and enjoying yourself" he declared before pushing the door open, amazement covering her face as she stared at the crowds of people and the group that were dancing. "Want a drink?"

"No thanks" she smiled as the writer nodded and led her through the crowd as Kate smiled, staring at their entwined fingers as Rick smiled and led her towards the dance floor slowly.

"Richard Castle, introduce me" a voice declared as Rick groaned and stopped before turning to see Paula staring at him with a drink in her hand. "You've certainly gotten over Gina fast Mr Castle, where did you find this one then?" Paula asked as she took a step forward, smirking when Kate moved towards the writer, squeezing his hand as Rick smiled at her for a moment.

"This is my friend Kate, Kate this is the wonderful Paula who keeps my ass in gear" Rick declared as Kate nodded, remaining quiet as Paula looked her up and down for a moment. "And if you can excuse us please Paula, we're going to go dancing" Rick smiled as the woman nodded and watched as Rick lead Kate towards the dance floor before slowly sliding one hand onto the small of her back. "I love it when you smile" Rick admitted as he took hold of her hand and slowly began to dance with her while her smile grew.

"Why?" she asked.

"You just look so innocent and beautiful, like you're not fighting the whole world" he declared as she rolled her eyes. "I mean it Kate; you're so beautiful when you smile although you look beautiful" he smiled as she stared at him, laughing when the writer spun her around before securing her in his arms again and smiling at her. "When are you going to go back to work?" Rick asked as she groaned and shook her head, moving her forehead to rest against his shoulder.

"I don't want to talk about that tonight; I just want to have fun" she stated as the writer sighed, swaying slowly with her to the music. "I don't want to think about anything else but how amazing tonight is" she declared as the writer nodded and stared at her when she looked up and smiled at him weakly before sighing as she took in the small smile that was starting to cover his face. He really was handsome!

"Want to get a drink or something?" he asked as she nodded, the two of them slowly moving away from the dance floor as the song began to end and another more upbeat one started to play. "Are you enjoying yourself?" he questioned as he collected two champagne glasses from a waitress before turning around to look at the brunette who was staring at him.

"We've only just got here" she laughed as the writer shrugged. "But yes, I'm enjoying myself Rick, thank you for inviting me" she declared as he nodded and moved towards her.

"Richard Castle" a woman's voice squealed as the writer groaned and turned to see a blonde woman walking towards them with a massive smile covering her perfectly made up face. "We haven't met but I simply adore your books" she stated, grabbing onto Rick's hand as Kate watched her in amazement, not surprised when more people began to crowd around them. "I love your books; I've read every single one".

"So what did you think of In a Hail of Bullets? I thought the plot to that was wonderful and it was one of my favourites" Kate declared, smiling to herself when the other woman fell silent and began to frown at her. "And A Skull at Springtime was wonderful Rick, I forgot to tell you that I couldn't put it down when I was reading it. I was late for work because of it" she laughed as Rick nodded, amazed at what he was learning about Kate. She really had read all of his books. "And A Death of a Prom Queen, I would love to know what inspired you to write that one" she declared, lacing her fingers with his while the blonde woman nodded slowly.

"Excuse me" the blonde whispered before walking away into the crowd while Kate and Rick burst into laughter.

"You're brilliant, you're really really brilliant Katherine Beckett, absolutely wonderfully brilliant" Rick smiled as Kate shrugged and took a sip of her drink, unable to stop herself from laughing as the writer continued to smile at her in amazement. "Have you really read all of them?" he asked, leading her towards the dance floor as she laughed and remained close to him, her arms wrapping around his neck as his linked together around her hips. "You were talking to my mother for a long time earlier" he declared.

"I wasn't dressed and she was worried, I told her I was scared about coming here because I don't normally come to things like this and she told me to pretend to be someone else for the evening, give Detective Beckett a night off" she admitted as they continued to sway to the music, their eyes locking as she bit into her bottom lip, watching him in amazement. How did this man always have a way of making her feel special and happy?

"Let's stay for an hour more and then let's go somewhere else for a while" he smiled as she nodded and rested her head against his shoulder, her eyes shutting as she took in how perfect this felt. It seemed too much like a dream to be real.

XOXOXOXOXOXOO

"Ready to go?" he whispered as she nodded and smiled at him, her hand finding his as they slowly walked towards the exit together, a small smile covering her face as they stepped outside and felt the cold air on her skin. "Here before you freeze" he smiled, removing his jacket before wrapping it around her shoulders as she smiled and cuddled into his side. "Did you have fun?" he asked.

"Yes" she said simply, walking down the street with him as the writer beamed and remained close to her, the two of them falling into a comfortable silence as Rick remained close to her. "Where are we going?" Kate finally asked as the writer shrugged and laughed, taking her right as she just smiled, deciding not to argue. The evening was already perfect so he couldn't be doing anything to make it worse. Smiling at the park that came into sight, Kate laughed as the writer opened the gate and slowly moved into the empty park as Kate followed silently. Sitting down on one of the swings, Kate sighed as she wrapped her fingers around the metal handles before sighing, unable to stop herself from smiling as the writer sat down beside her and laughed.

"Will found out about mom" Kate admitted after a moment's silence. "He went through my things when I was at work and he found her case files, he called everyone and told them trying to find out the truth" she declared as tears ran down her cheeks, the writer listening as she continued to sob. "The files were all over the table and he was just smiling on the couch, he just keep saying all these things and telling me how no one was going to like me anymore because I was a disgusting liar" she explained as the writer continued to watch her. "That's why I was in the apartment, that's why I turned my phone off and that's why I haven't gone to work" she declared as the writer moved towards her before kneeling down in front of her. "What are you doing? Your pants will get dirty".

"I don't care" Rick stated as she looked down at him in the darkness. "Kate, do you know why I came to the apartment that night?" he asked as she shook her head. "Lanie called me, they were worried about you and they found my number because they knew you would talk to me because I didn't know whatever they were so concerned about" he explained as he found her hands and clung onto them. "They told me where your spare key was and they told me to see whether you were okay, they've been calling everyday Kate to see how you are and they're waiting for me to tell them that you want to see them, that you're ready to talk" he explained as she let out a large sob. "We all care about you Kate, we all care about you and we just want you to be able to talk to us".

"He said some horrible things Rick, about me and about you" she declared as the writer sighed for a moment. "Rick, can we go home now? I'm cold" she admitted as Rick nodded, amazed that she seemed so nervous! What had Will told? What had Will said to make her so nervous around him at times?

XOOXXOXOXOXOXOXO

"I had fun tonight, it was amazing. It was nice doing something else for one night, I don't think I've dressed up like that since forever" Kate smiled as she walked out of Rick's en-suite in her pyjamas with a small smile covering his face as he watched her slowly unpin her hair, the writer admiring every curl that ran down her shoulders when freed. "No one's ever taken me dancing like that before, I mean I've been to clubs with people and have men all around me but I've never been dancing where people are dressed properly and doing ballroom stuff" she laughed as Rick smiled and watched as she moved to sit beside him on the bed.

"Is it weird that every night we end up sleeping in the same bed even though I have a massive spare room?" he asked as she shrugged and relaxed back beside him before shutting her eyes slowly. "You sleepy?" he questioned as she nodded. "Too much dancing?" he asked.

"Way too much dancing for one night" she yawned as the writer pulled the duvet from under her before draping it over her as she slowly began to relax back on the bed while Rick watched silently, his fingers playing with strands of her hair like they always did when she was falling asleep. "Thank you for making me feel special" Kate muttered.

"You are special Kate; I think you're the most special person on this planet! You'll see that one day" he explained as he leant down to press a kiss to her forehead. "One day you'll see that you're one of the most important people in so many lives Kate, I promise that you'll see it" he declared, not surprised to see that Kate was already fast asleep beside him.

**So what do you think? Your reviews are amazing and I love hearing from you and hopefully I might be able to review again but once again it depends upon the response the chapter gets! Anyway, you guys are amazing and I really hope you enjoyed this chapter and want more! **


	11. Chapter 11

"You okay?" Rick asked as he walked out of his bedroom to see Kate pulling on her jacket over her pyjamas before turning around to look at him, her face covered in tears as Rick walked towards her and wrapped his arms around her and felt her bury her face into his shoulder. "Where are you going? It's almost one in the morning" he declared as she stood in his arms shaking, the concern covering his face increasing as he looked down at her for a moment.

"It's my dad" she admitted as he stared at her for a moment. "A uniform picked him up outside a bar, he was just shouting at people" she explained as the writer stared at her for a moment, not knowing what to say to her. "Rick I really need to get going, they're waiting for me to come and get him" she explained as the writer reached across to grab his coat off the back of the couch. "What are you doing?"

"I'm coming with you Kate" he declared as she stared at him, watching as he quickly wrote a note and stuck it to the fridge. "Come on Kate, let's go and get your dad out of a cell and into bed" he explained as he wrapped an arm around her and led her out of the apartment as she remained perfectly silent. Why did this have to happen to her? Why couldn't her dad just grieve? Why did he have to drink and get in trouble? Approaching the writer's car in silence, Kate sighed as Rick opened the door for her and watched her as she sat down and shut her eyes to stop herself from crying. Sitting down in the driver's seat, Rick turned to look at her for a moment before running his thumbs across her face to wipe away the tears. "Kate, let's talk before we go and get him" he said quietly as she opened her eyes and stared at him. "Where are we going to take your dad?" he asked.

"I don't know, I don't know where I'm going to take him! My apartment is completely trashed still" she explained as he nodded slowly. "I guess I could take him to his or to his cabin outside the city, get him out of town for a while" she explained as he nodded slowly and stared at her for a moment.

"I'll take you wherever you want to go" he declared as she shook her head. "Kate, I'm helping you, I'm going to be there for you through everything that happens so let me in and don't fight me" he smiled as she nodded slowly before relaxing back and shutting her eyes for a moment and relaxing back. Starting the car, Rick sighed as they began to drive in silence. He hated seeing her like this; he hated seeing her so lost! He hated the fear that was covering her face whenever she thought about her life and her father and her mother! "When Alexis was a baby I was so lost for a long time" he admitted as she turned to look at him for a moment. "She was this tiny amazing beautiful baby who I was completely responsible for" he declared as she listened to him in silence. "My marriage was falling apart because Meredith wasn't serious about me or Alexis and she was starting to see other people which she wasn't trying to keep secret, I knew about every single man she was with. Some of them were my friends" he explained.

"I'm sorry" she mumbled as he nodded slowly, focusing on the road as he remembered all the things he'd felt when he'd seen Meredith kissing other men.

"One night, I was stupid and decided to go out with my friends. I needed to be Rick Castle the man, not the husband or the father, I just needed to be me so I decided to go out for some drinks and I went stupid with the amount and decided to go out and borrow a police horse" he declared as she shook her head slowly. "I rode this police horse naked and was arrested and I was sat in that cell by myself thinking about everything I'd done and how selfish I'd been and that's the moment my mother appeared outside my cell with my tiny little girl in her arms who was crying because she'd been forced out of bed and I just realised that I'd made the wrong choice and I've never done anything like it again! Seeing my baby looking so upset and tired made me realise that I had been selfish and the next day I became the best father I could be and I haven't ever stopped trying" he explained, shocking her with the tears that were appearing in her eyes.

"Rick" she whispered, falling silent when he parked the car and turned to look at her.

"Kate when I look at you right now, you remind me of my beautiful little girl and I think your dad will look at you and just realise how much this is destroying you as well as him and he'll do something. Sitting behind bars for even five minutes makes you assess things and he'll start to realise what he's doing to his life and to yours sweetheart" he explained, leaning across to kiss her forehead as tears ran down her cheeks. "Let's go and get your dad and then we'll head to this cabin" he declared as Kate nodded slowly and climbed out of the car, smiling weakly when the writer tightly wrapped his arms around her for a moment. Here they were in the early hours of the mornings in their pyjamas outside her work place to get her father who was currently behind bars! Walking towards the entrance, Kate sighed as she cuddled into Rick's side and led him towards the elevator, neither of them noticing the two detectives' and medical examiner who were watching them in silence. Stepping out after a few moments of silence, Kate sighed as she found Rick's hand and squeezed it before approaching the cells.

"Detective Beckett, he's through here" a uniformed man said as Kate nodded slowly and followed him towards the cell, still clinging desperately onto Rick's hand. She needed him here, she needed someone's support. Approaching the cell slowly, Kate bit into her lip as he father finally came into sight. "I'll leave you alone Detective" the man declared as she nodded and remained silent until he'd disappeared from sight.

"Dad?" Kate asked quietly, watching as her father looked up at her and stared at her for a moment before shaking his head. "Daddy I've come to take you home, we're going to go to the cabin for a while" she whispered as she moved towards the bars and turned to look at the writer. "Can you go and get the key?" she asked as the writer nodded and moved out of the corridor. "Daddy you need to get out of town for a while" she declared as the older man remained silent, tears running down her cheeks as Rick walked over and passed her the keys, squeezing her hand for a second as Jim laughed. "Dad?"

"So you finally told someone about me Kate" he declared as she looked at the writer for a moment. "We're no longer your dirty little secret Kate because I know, I know you haven't told anyone but me or your mother like you're ashamed of us all of the time Kate" Jim almost shouted at her as tears ran down Kate's cheeks. He knew she wasn't ashamed of them, he knew that so why was he saying it? Was he trying to hurt her? "Just go away Kate, just leave me here. Let the whole precinct know that perfect Kate Beckett has a secret past".

"Daddy" she whispered quietly as Rick watched the interaction. "Daddy please, let's just get out of here and then we'll talk" she begged as Jim stared at her for a moment in silence. "I don't care what people think dad, I just want to get you home so you can get some sleep and be the dad that you were when I was younger, the dad you were before mom died and you started to drink more than anyone should" she sobbed as Rick moved his arms around her as she buried her face into his chest, not caring anymore. "Rick take me home please, I want to go home" she sobbed, just wanting to get away from everything.

"Why don't you go and get a coffee or something Kate?" Rick whispered as she stared at him for a moment. "Go on, you need a coffee" he smiled, the detective nodding slowly as she slowly moved out of the corridor before Rick turned to look at the older man. "She loves you did you know that?" he asked as Jim remained silent. "She would do anything to make you stop drinking and to bring her mom back but she can't" he declared.

"I know she can't" Jim muttered.

"Then give her a break, she's exhausted and she's lost! Her mother's gone and she's losing her father right in front of her! She needs you in her life, you're the only family she has left and I think you need her too" Rick declared as Jim remained silent. "And the only reason she didn't tell people about you or her mom isn't because she's ashamed, it's because she doesn't want people to pity her" he declared as Jim stared at him.

"Are you the FBI boyfriend?" he questioned as Rick shook his head and smiled.

"I'm Rick, her friend. The FBI boyfriend's gone, it ended badly" Rick said simply as Jim nodded slowly and sighed. "I could get you help Mr Beckett, I could get you in somewhere and you could get the help you need. You could do it, you could do it for Kate" he insisted as the older man just watched him for a moment. "Do it for your little girl, the little girl that you held when she was a new born and realised was the most important thing you'd ever have in your life" he explained as Jim smiled weakly, remembering his perfect little girl and how delicate she had been when he'd held her in his arms for the first time.

"She was the perfect baby, my beautiful Katie" Jim laughed as Rick nodded, knowing exactly how he was feeling about everything. "You talk like you have a kid" he commented.

"Alexis, she's six" Rick explained. "And I ended up in a cell one night when she was a baby and when someone brought her here to get me, I realised I was an idiot" he declared as Jim nodded slowly, the writer slowly moving to unlock the door. "You should do it, get yourself in somewhere and try and get over this" he declared as the man stepped out. "You should do it for Kate".

"You know somewhere?" Jim asked quietly as they began to walk out of the corridor.

"I know somewhere" Rick promised as the older man nodded slowly and followed him out of the corridor, the writer passing the keys to the officer before following the direction that he'd given her in order to find Kate. Approaching the break room, Rick sighed as he found Kate fast asleep on the couch, the mug of coffee that was resting on the floor full as his smile grew. "Kate" he declared, not surprised when she remained fast asleep. Moving towards the couch, Rick sighed as he gently lifted her into his arms and walked out of the room to see Jim watching him.

"We going home now?" Kate mumbled as she remained practically asleep.

"We're going home now" Rick sighed before looking around. "I could drive you somewhere if you wanted but I should drop her home first" he declared.

"I understand" Jim stated simply.

XOOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

"Can I just have a minute?" Jim asked as Rick rested the brunette down on the bed gently and nodded before leaving the room quietly. "You're my beautiful girl Kate, my beautiful baby girl" Jim sighed as he leant across and pressed a kiss to her forehead before staring at her. Looking down at the watch he was wearing, Jim sighed as he gently removed it from his wrist before placing it around hers and smiling. "I'm going to do it this time Kate, I'm going to do it for my beautiful baby" he smiled before removing a piece of paper from his pocket and resting it in her hand. "He's good for you Kate, whoever this man is, he's good for you" Jim declared, smiling when Kate turned and buried her face into the pillow like she always did. Moving off the bed, Jim sighed as he moved off the bed and left the room to see Rick waiting for him. "You'll look after her for me?" he asked.

"Always" Rick stated as they moved towards the door together before the writer opened it and stared at the older man.

"Daddy?" a voice yawned as Rick quickly turned to look around to see Alexis standing in front of him. "Where are you going? It's early and everyone is sleeping" she whispered sleepily as Rick walked towards her and lifted her into his arms, smiling when she buried her face into his neck and moaned.

"I've got to take Kate's daddy somewhere sweetheart so you need to look after Kate for me while I'm gone" he declared. "She's very upset at the moment so when she wakes up later she'll need lots of cuddles and for you to make her laugh, can you do that for me in case I'm not home yet?" he asked, the redhead nodding before yawning and waving at Jim Beckett.

"Hello Kate's daddy" Alexis smiled as he waved back at her.

"You need to get to bed pumpkin, you're sleepy" Rick declared as she nodded slowly and moved out of his arms before slowly walking up the stairs out of sight. "We can go now" Rick said as Jim nodded and moved out of the apartment.

"You have a beautiful daughter" Jim said quietly as they moved towards the elevator.

"So do you Mr Beckett, so do you" Rick declared as Jim laughed and entered the metal box before yawning. This was going to be a long evening for them both!

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXXO

Entering the apartment, Rick yawned as he removed his jacket and turned to look at the time. What was the likelihood that Kate was awake yet? Approaching his bedroom, Rick slowly opened the door and smiled at the sight of Kate sat on the bed with tears running down her cheeks while reading a piece of paper.

"He was very brave Kate" Rick stated as he kicked his shoes off and moved to sit on the end of the bed. "He realised that he needed to get better and I took him somewhere that could help him and he went in really determined and ready to change, you would have been so proud of him" he explained as he reached across and took hold of her hand as she sobbed and moved closer to him, burying her face into his neck as she continued to cry into his t-shirt. "I think he would have stayed to say goodbye to you but I think he was worried about changing his mind and decided to get there as fast as possible" he admitted.

"He's really doing this; he's really gone into rehab?" Kate questioned as the writer nodded and held her close as she shook her head for a moment. "How did you do that? How did you convince him to do that?" she asked quickly as she watched him in amazement.

"I think he just needed someone who kind of understood where he was coming from, how low he was feeling" he declared as Kate tightly wrapped her arms around him, the two of them laughing when she knocked them down onto the mattress, the writer lying on top of her as their eyes locked for a moment.

"Thank you Rick" she whispered as she ran her fingers across his cheeks before smiling gently. "You made my dad go to rehab, you've given me a home and a family when I've felt more alone than ever before and you let me sleep in your bed every night even though I'm not your girlfriend and we're only friends" she explained as she leant up, her lips almost on his as she smiled gently while her fingers ran through his hair. "I want to…" she began.

"Katie are you awake?" Alexis asked as she knocked on the door, forcing the two adults apart as she opened the door and climbed onto the bed. "Daddy says you need lots of cuddles, so I'm here to cuddle you" she declared happily, wrapping her arms tightly around the brunette who laughed and held her close for a moment before looking across at the writer who was staring at her in amazement before standing up and running his fingers through his hair. He needed to sleep! He'd been driving most of the evening and he was exhausted.

"Rick" Kate called out as he stopped by the door and turned to look at her in silence. "Come here" she smiled as the writer moved towards her slowly and sat down on the edge of the bed, the writer smiling as she pulled the duvet back and patted the space beside her. "You've been up all night, sleep" she whispered gently as the writer relaxed back and shut his eyes as Kate turned to look at Alexis who was staring at her. "Why don't you we go and read a book?" Kate smiled as the redhead nodded and climbed off the bed, disappearing out of the room as the brunette turned to look at the writer for a moment. "Get some sleep" Kate whispered as she leant across and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "Thank you" she smiled.

"For what?" he asked.

"For saving my life" Kate said simply before walking out of the bedroom to find Alexis.

**Just a nice small chapter but I think we needed to have Jim Beckett in here again so here he is! The next chapter will be Lanie and the guys and that all reunion thing hopefully so hope you like it! **


	12. Chapter 12

"You're dressed for work?" Rick commented as he walked out of his bedroom to see the brunette standing in his kitchen with a mug of coffee in her hands, a small smile covering her face as she nodded slowly and laughed. "You're going back then Kate" he declared as she nodded before looking across quickly at her packed bag that was waiting by the door. Following her eyes, Rick sighed as he realised what the packed bags meant- Kate Beckett was going home. "And you're going back to your apartment, aren't you?"

"My dad's trying to fix his life; it's time I start trying to fix mine. I need to get back on track and I've had a week off work Rick, it's time to show that Will hasn't destroyed my life" she admitted as she finished her coffee and sighed before walking towards him and wrapping her arms around him to hug him for a second. "This doesn't mean that I'm leaving you Rick, I'd love it if you brought lunch today or we could do something later or something! I'm not putting distance between us, I'm just getting on with my life" Kate explained as the writer smiled and nodded, pressing a kiss to her forehead before she buried her face into his neck for a moment.

"I'll bring you lunch today" he declared as she nodded and smiled up at him for a moment. "Chinese or pizza or something, we can share with the guys and Lanie" he smiled as she nodded again before moving out of his arms and slipping her shoes on and sighing. "You look very professional" he smiled as she laughed and shook her head for a moment before sighing and approaching the door before turning to look at him again. "Lunch" he stated simply.

"Lunch Rick, I'll see you at lunch" she agreed before walking out of the apartment in silence, the writer jumping when he felt someone touch his shoulder.

"You like that girl Richard Castle, you really like that girl" Martha commented as Rick laughed and turned to look at his mother.

"She's my friend" Rick stated as she shook her head.

"I think she's more than your friend Richard Castle and I think you're too scared to admit that" the redhead commented before pouring herself some coffee and taking a warm sip of the liquid, her smile growing as she watched her son for a moment who was standing in silence. "You're staring at the door like you're waiting for her to come back" Martha declared as she sat down and relaxed back, watching her son for a moment as he shook his head and turned away to look away from the door. "She feels the same Richard, it's extremely obvious that she likes you" she added.

"Mother, she just got out of a relationship that ended badly, she doesn't like me like that so stop it" he declared before walking back towards his bedroom, trying to ignore what his mother had just said.

XOOXOXOXOXOXXO

"I can do this, I can do this" Kate whispered to herself as she stood patiently in the empty elevator before watching as the doors open on her floor. Stepping out, Kate smiled weakly as she passed two officers who smiled at her gently before she took slow steps towards her desk, watching as Ryan and Esposito stopped talking about Javi's desk before turning to look at her. "Hi" she said quietly as they both nodded at her, none of them moving as they stared at each other for a moment. She was back, she was back and she wanted to talk to them again! She wanted them to trust her again. "I didn't want you to pity me, I wanted you to just like me for me and think that I was strong" she admitted, smiling when Javier took the first step towards her before holding his hand out.

"It's good to have you back Beckett, work's been crazy without you" he declared as she slowly shook his hand, not wanting to let go of it. This meant he was forgiving her! He was forgiving her; he was forgiving her for what she'd done. "For god's sake Kate" he laughed, pulling her into his arms as she laughed and hugged him for a moment. "Welcome back" he whispered quietly.

"It's good to be back" she admitted before moving out of his arms and turning to look at the other man who was waiting patiently. "Hand shake or a hug?" she asked quickly as the Irish detective shrugged before tightly wrapping his arms around her, not as tightly as Javier had done but tight enough to show that they'd missed her! They were her brothers! They were her family and they were forgiving her for being a liar! "I'm sorry, I'm sorry that I lied to you both but I didn't know how to tell you" she declared.

"Kate we don't care" Javier declared as they walked into the break room together. "Kate, we're sorry to hear about your mom but that doesn't affect how we feel about you Beckett! You're our partner, our friend and it doesn't matter what your background is or your story, nothing is going to change that" he announced as Kate nodded slowly and watched as Ryan quietly made three coffees. "So what have you been doing with your week off?" he asked.

"I stayed with Rick for a while and I met his daughter, she's absolutely lovely" Kate declared as the two men nodded slowly.

"And what about this big charity event you went too?" Ryan questioned as she laughed. So they'd seen her picture in the papers. "Lanie ran up squealing with the photo, I think she nearly passed out from excitement" he admitted as Kate shrugged and relaxed back, thanking him when he passed her a coffee.

"Rick needed someone to go with him so he asked me and I agreed! It was really fun, there was a lot of dancing and drinking and we just had a good time" she admitted as the two men nodded slowly, obviously wanting to know something else. "Is there something you guys want to know?" she asked quickly.

"Umm…" both men mumbled nervously as she stared at him.

"They want to know when you were going to tell them that you're dating writer boy" a voice declared as Kate looked across to see Lanie standing in the door, shock soon covering Kate's face when she realised what her friend had just said.

"Rick and I aren't dating" Kate declared quickly before standing up. "Just friends, no dating involved" she announced loudly. "I just broke up with Will, I'm not going to just start a new relationship with my best friend" she stated as the others nodded slowly, remaining silent as they watched her. "What the hell made you think I was dating Rick Castle?" she asked quickly.

"The fact that you've been staying at his for the past week" Lanie said quickly.

"And the fact that you were pictured dancing closely together at a charity event" Ryan added.

"And the fact that you both turned up here in your pyjamas to get your father" Javier said quietly as Kate shook her head and sighed.

"He's my best friend, that's all and that's all he's ever going to be! Right now, I just want to call him and tell him not to bring lunch in today like we planned" she explained as the two men took a step towards her.

"No, we understand, you're just friends! Please let him bring lunch" Ryan begged as Javier nodded, a small laugh leaving Kate's lips as she watched them for a moment. "Anyway we want to get to know your writer better" he added.

"He's not my writer Kevin Ryan, he is his own writer! I don't own him" she warned as he nodded slowly.

"Doctor Parish don't you have a body to be cutting up this morning for my detectives?" a voice said loudly the doorway as all four of the room's occupants turned slowly to see Roy Montgomery standing there with his arms crossed across his chest and watched as the ME nodded and waved goodbye before disappearing out of the room. "And Detective's don't you have some detecting to be doing?" he asked.

"Yes sir" all three detectives' responded like children, falling silent before Roy laughed and shook his head at them.

"It's nice to have you back Beckett" Roy declared, a small smile covering Kate's face as she nodded.

"It's nice to be back" she admitted, the Captain nodding before walking out of the room. "We better go and detect if we want lunch today" she stated.

"Yeah" both men moaned as she laughed and walked out of the break room, holding onto her coffee as she approached her desk and sat down in her chair. It was good to be back!

XOOXOXOXOXOXOX

"Kevin Ryan, Javier Esposito, Lanie Parish, you remember my friend Rick Castle" Kate smiled as she led the writer into the break room where her three friends were already waiting for them. "They've been looking forward to this lunch all day" Kate admitted as Rick laughed and rested the pizza boxes down on the table. "And you brought pizza" she commented.

"Well we had Chinese for dinner last night Kate" he explained as Kate bit into her lip for a moment. How domestic had he made her last week look? "Anyway, you weren't too particular this morning about what you wanted" he declared before groaning, regretting what he'd said immediately from the frown that quickly covered her face. Why did he just say that? Why didn't he just shut up and stop embarrassing his friend? "And I'm going to shut up now before you shoot me" he laughed as Kate nodded in agreement and sat down, the writer moving to sit beside her quickly as Lanie bit into her lip to stop herself from laughing.

"Beckett told us that she met your daughter last week" Kevin commented as Rick nodded quickly.

"Alexis, she's six" Rick stated as the two men nodded slowly. "I don't know where she gets her brains from though, it's defiantly not from her mother" Rick declared as Kate bit into her lip, not wanting to comment on Alexis' mother. She knew that her mother had cheated on Rick and that she wasn't particularly present in Alexis' life but that didn't give her the right to comment. "She adores Kate but I think she's kind of obsessed with the badge".

"Guess your kid is going to like all of us then" Javier laughed as Rick nodded slowly, a small smile covering his face when he felt Kate's hand nudge his under the table. Entwining his fingers with hers slowly, Rick looked across at the brunette who was currently biting into a slice of pizza with a small smile covering her face as she looked across at him quickly before glancing back at her friends who were laughing over something Lanie had said while she'd been focusing on Rick. "So have you got any plans to attend any charity events soon?" the detective asked.

"I have, it's completely dependent on whether Kate wants to go to the next one" Rick laughed as Kate smiled at him for a moment. "Do you want to go to the next one?" he asked quickly.

"I'll think about it" she laughed before taking another bite out of her pizza and smiling.

"So who brought lunch?" Roy asked as he entered the break room and stared at the group again.

"Rick, this is my Captain, Roy Montgomery. Sir this is my friend Richard Castle" Kate introduced as Rick nodded and quickly shook the man's hand.

"I've heard a lot about you from the mayor" Rick admitted as Roy laughed and nodded. "Feel free to steal some pizza, I brought too much" he declared.

"You know the mayor?" Kate asked.

"Poker nights" Rick shrugged as she stared at him. "I should introduce you to my poker friends, I bet you'd beat every single one of them" he admitted as she shrugged and smiled at him.

"Maybe you should invite me to a poker night then" she commented.

"Maybe I will" he laughed as Roy looked across at the two male detectives' and the ME.

"Are they always like that?" Montgomery questioned as he stared at Kate and Rick who were currently fighting over the last slice of pepperoni pizza while laughing.

"Always" Lanie, Javier and Kevin said at once before smiling when Kate stole the last slice of pizza before biting into it and smirking at the writer.

XOOXOXOXOXOXOOX

"I'm literally getting out of the elevator right now Rick so stop worrying" Kate laughed down the phone as she stepped out of the metal box and began to approach her apartment. "I'm standing outside my door okay?" she declared as the writer laughed down the phone.

"I kind of miss having you here" Rick admitted as she shrugged and dug her apartment key out of her purse before unlocking the door. "Oh and Kate, before you go inside I need to tell you something" he admitted as she stopped pushing the door open and remained still. "I may have stolen your key this morning" he stated as her whole body tensed.

"You did what?" she asked quickly. "And how have I got my key back then?"

"I put it back into your purse during lunch" he declared as she relaxed against the wall. "I didn't want you going home to your apartment the way it was, so I went round and organised it" he admitted as she smiled and stared across at the other wall for a moment. He'd come to her apartment so she didn't have to go home to what Will had left her apartment in? Why would he do that for her? "It probably isn't all the way you have it Kate but I thought it was better than coming home to it being all messy" he admitted.

"Thank you" she whispered as she shut her eyes for a moment. "Thank you for doing that for me Rick, thank you" she declared as her smile continued to grow.

"I filled your fridge as well Kate, I thought you could do with some actual food" he quickly added as she laughed, knowing that it had been practically empty. "You really need to learn something about food Kate, it's called rotting and it was happening in your fridge" he joked as she rolled her eyes.

"I know but I just don't have the time and I did just spend a whole week at yours" she explained as Rick nodded and sighed. "I guess I should get inside" she commented.

"Yeah" Rick laughed down the phone, the two of them falling silent as Kate pushed the door open and flicked on the light before smiling. The smashed glass was gone and her apartment looked cleaner than it had done in weeks! He hadn't just put things away, he'd cleaned for her! Richard Castle had cleaned her apartment! "Kate, are you still alive?" he asked.

"You cleaned, you actually cleaned my home?" she laughed.

"It needed cleaning Kate, you haven't been there for a week and I thought while I was putting things away why not make it nice for you?" he asked quickly as Kate nodded and continued to walk around her apartment, staring at the sunflowers that was resting in a vase on her kitchen table. He'd bought her flowers as well?

"I love sunflowers" she admitted.

"I'm glad, I'm really glad you like it Kate" he declared, wishing he could be there to see her face. Entering her bedroom, Kate smiled at the boxes that had disappeared under her bed again and the perfectly made bed that looked so welcoming!

"I really want to go to bed right now, the whole apartment looks amazing" Kate laughed as she moved to lie across her bed before shaking her head and shutting her eyes. "Thank you Rick, thank you for doing this for me" she smiled.

"You kept my daughter entertain for a week, it was the least I could do Kate" he declared as she sighed. "And I'll now leave you alone to do whatever you want for the evening" he admitted, the brunette opening her eyes as she took in the tone of sadness that appeared in his voice when he said that. "Alexis wanted me to say goodnight to you, she fell asleep early" he said quickly.

"Thank you" she smiled. "Goodnight Rick".

"Goodnight Kate" he said quietly before they both reluctantly hung up their phones and collapsed against their beds, both of them missing the other person as they thought about how it was their first night alone after a whole week!

**Random chapter I know but I hope you enjoyed it and please review, it means a lot to me to know what you think about things! I didn't want Ryan and Esposito and Lanie to be angry with Kate because I don't think they would be but tell me what you think! **


	13. Chapter 13

Entering the school, Kate sighed as she followed the directions the woman at the desk had given her before sighing and knocking on the door. Entering the room in silence, Kate sighed as she found the nurse sat a table and the redhead sat in the corner looking extremely pale. She'd been at the precinct doing paperwork and Rick had called her, panicking because Alexis was sick and he was stuck in a meeting and his mother was out of town! She'd offered to take her and she'd practically run out of her work in order to get the little girl from school.

"Hi, I'm Detective Beckett, I'm here to get Alexis Castle" Kate explained, smiling when the redhead turned around slowly to see the cop standing in the doorway. Climbing out of her seat, Alexis smiled as she wrapped her arms tightly around Kate before burying her face into Kate's jacket. "Can I take her home now?" the brunette asked quickly as the nurse nodded slowly before Kate slowly led Alexis out of the room, her hand holding onto the silent girl's as she sighed. She'd never seen Alexis like this and it worried her. "We can't get into yours because your dad doesn't have a spare key around so we're going to go to my apartment and wait for your daddy to finish his meeting" Kate explained as the redhead nodded slowly and cuddled into her side, Kate sighing when they slowly approached her car. "Do you fancy anything in particular to eat sweetheart? You can have whatever you want" she explained as she opened the car door and watched as Alexis climbed into the car and closed her eyes. "Or we could just go to my apartment and I can order something in when you're hungry?"

"Let's do that" Alexis mumbled, Kate practically missing it as she nodded and helped Alexis with her seatbelt before sighing and pressing a kiss to her forehead before moving and shutting the door, moving towards her seat as the redhead shut her eyes and yawned. "I want my daddy" the redhead moaned as Kate began to drive the car.

"I know you do sweetheart and he wants to be here as well but he's stuck in a meeting and he's trying to get out so I'm going to look after you Alexis until your daddy can come and be with you" Kate soothed as she continued to focus on the road, even though she was desperate to pull over and tightly wrap her arms around the little girl and hold her close for a moment. "When I was sick I used to always want my mom, I still do actually" Kate admitted as she looked across at the redhead for a brief moment before turning to focus on the road again. "I used to sit there and watch as she got ready for work and I was always desperate for her to call up work and tell them that she was staying with me because I was sick" Kate laughed, realising how childish she must have sounded. "But she couldn't stay with me because she was always busy so I was always left with my dad if he wasn't busy or a friend of the family and although I loved my dad a lot, I always wanted my mom when I was sick" Kate smiled.

"Like I want my daddy" Alexis whispered.

"Like you want your daddy" Kate repeated as she smiled. "One day I was really sick and my mom went to work like always and two hours later she came back and told her friend to go home because she was going to look after me and I was so excited and it just made me feel better having her to cuddle with".

"Daddy's always with me when I'm sick" Alexis admitted. "He's never not been here when I'm sick".

"He'll be here soon sweetheart I promise" Kate whispered as she parked her car and turned to look at the little girl who was now staring at her. "I tell you what, let's go into my apartment, you can change into my biggest t-shirt and I'll get in something comfy and we can cuddle in my bed and read a book and watch some old movies" Kate smiled as Alexis nodded slowly and smiled weakly for a moment, watching as Kate climbed out of the car before opening her door. "It's only a short walk to the elevator and then it's a couple of floors" Kate explained as she took hold of Alexis' hand once she was out of the car before leading her towards the elevator, smiling when the six year old cuddled into her side again. Entering the metal box in silence, Kate sighed as she watched the elevator go up each floor before it stopped at hers. "This is us Lex" Kate muttered, gently resting a hand on Alexis' shoulder before gently nudging her out of the box and into the corridor. Leading her to her apartment, Kate sighed as she dug in her purse for her keys before smiling and unlocking the door and reaching in to turn on the light.

"This is where you live?" Alexis asked.

"This is where I live" Kate laughed as the redhead nodded slowly before entering the apartment and smiling. "What do you think?" Kate questioned.

"You have lots of books" Alexis said, amusement covering her pale face as she took in the numerous piles of books that practically covered every surface. "Katie my tummy hurts" the redhead mumbled, her arms wrapping tightly around her stomach as Kate slowly moved towards her before lifting her into her arms, surprised by how light the six year old was. "I don't need to be carried" Alexis protested, even though she buried her face into Kate's neck and moved to wrap her arms around Kate's neck.

"Just let me carry you today when you're sick, I promise I won't do it when you're feeling good" Kate smiled as she carried the little girl into her bedroom before resting her on her bed and moving towards the chest of drawers to pull out two t-shirts and a pair of sweats. Passing her NYPD t-shirt to the redhead, Kate smiled as Alexis took hold of it before staring down at the phrase that covered the grey material.

"NYPD?" Alexis asked.

"New York Police Department" Kate informed as Alexis nodded slowly. "Today you can be part of the NYPD but in t-shirt only" the brunette laughed as she pressed a kiss into Alexis' hair before holding the rest of the clothes against her chest. "I'm just going to change in the en-suite so change into the t-shirt and then I'll come back and we'll have a cuddle" the cop explained as she moved towards the en-suite and disappeared behind the door. Staring at herself in the mirror for a moment, Kate sighed as she ran her fingers through her hair before moving her fingers down to her blouse. She knew nothing about children so how was she supposed to look after a sick six year old? Why did she offer? Laughing at her thought, Kate shook her head as she realised why she'd agreed to this. She adored Alexis and her father was her best friend who had done so much for her and she needed to repay him somehow. Pulling her blouse off, Kate sighed as she pulled her t-shirt over before removing her pants and slipping on her sweats instead. Turning around, Kate quickly unlocked the door to see the redhead sat on the bed in the grey t-shirt while playing with strands of her hair. "A book and a movie sweetheart?" Kate suggested.

"A book and a movie" Alexis agreed before relaxing in the bed and yawning and shutting her eyes.

"Why don't you get some sleep? We can read a book a little bit later when you're less tired" Kate explained as she slid into the bed and wrapped her arms around the redhead who buried her face against her chest and relaxed in silence. "You're such a wonderful little girl Lex, such a wonderful little girl" Kate whispered into Alexis' hair before sighing. "I love you" Kate admitted quietly, relaxing when she realised that the redhead was fast asleep in her arms.

XOXOXOXOXOOXXOXO

"I'm coming, stop knocking so loudly for god's sake" Kate shouted at the door as she ran towards it and opened it, shock covering her face as she took in the sight of the man who was standing there in front of her. It wasn't the writer like she was expecting, instead of it was a smirking Will Sorenson.

**I am terrible at updating this week but it's the first week back at college and I've been really busy moaning as a lot of people have probably seen from my twitter. I know this chapter is considerably smaller than the rest but I wanted to leave it here and well the next one is going to be a lot longer and we will finally see the Will/Rick confrontation so please review and depending upon the amount of reviews it receives I might update tomorrow or it'll be the weekend or even Monday. **

**Thanks for your comments and please continue to tell me what you think! **


	14. Chapter 14

"What do you want?" Kate asked harshly as she glared across at her ex-boyfriend who was currently staring at her with a small smile covering his face. "I don't want you here Will, I don't want you anywhere near me" Kate declared, moving to shut the door but stopping when his foot moved to rest in between the door and the doorframe, stopping her from completing her task. "What exactly do you want Will?" she questioned, her frustration building up as she opened the door again and stared at the man who was now taking steps towards her before pushing past her and entering her apartment in silence. He couldn't be here! She needed to get back to Alexis, sick and tired Alexis who was currently asleep and probably wouldn't be for much longer.

"I want to talk to you" he declared as she shook her head, moving towards her bedroom door, not caring that the front one was wide open! He wasn't staying so what was the point in closing it? "Kate we could make this work" he smiled as she shook her head again. What the hell? Was he delusional? He'd trashed her bedroom and gone through her mother's case and then told everyone about it! He had told everyone the one thing she hadn't been ready to admit and she was never going to forgive him for that! Hearing footsteps in the other room, Kate shut her eyes for a second before the sound of Alexis vomiting filled the apartment. "You have someone here?" he asked as she opened her eyes and stared at the man. "I leave you and you immediately find someone else! It's that writer isn't it?" he suddenly shouted, making her jump as she began to shake her head. "Don't lie to me, I leave you and you just jump into bed with him" he screamed, pushing against the door, her head knocking against the wood as she groaned and ran her hand to the back of her head in agony!

"I'm not with Rick" she shouted back, furious that he'd stormed into her apartment unwelcomed before accusing her of things that she wasn't even doing. Why did it have to do with him? Their relationship was ever, they could see whoever they wanted now so why was he still trying to control her life? "And what does it have to do with you anyway? You're not my boyfriend and you're not my friend after what you did" she declared, hoping that Alexis would remain in the bedroom instead of coming out to investigate like her father would probably do in this situation! "Just leave me alone Will".

"Kate we could be happy, you and me! We could go to Boston and start a new life" he declared as she laughed. Did he really think that she wanted to be with him after what he'd done? After the secrets he'd told everyone? "It doesn't matter, your mom nine of it! I forgive you for not telling me Kate" he declared, grabbing onto her arms tightly as she stared at him. What was he doing? Did he really think that she'd give up New York and her life for a man she couldn't stand?

"Will doesn't it tell you something that I didn't tell you about my mom in the first place?" Kate asked as she attempted to move out of his grip, groaning when he tightened his hold of her arms. "Doesn't it tell you that I don't trust you? That I'm not serious enough about you to tell you the most important thing that ever happened to me?" she asked as she stared at him, noticing the frustration that was building up on his face. "And your stupid plan didn't work anyway" she stated.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Esposito and Ryan are still talking to me and Rick, Rick already knew" she laughed, smiling at the anger that was covering his face. Feeling him let go of her arm, Kate gasped when she felt his hand smack against her face, knocking her into the door slightly. "I told him a month into knowing him, he was there on her anniversary, he held me and refused to leave me alone. He let me slept at his apartment" she stated as she glared up at him, trying to ignore the throbbing pain in her cheek. "I trust him more than I ever trust you and I don't care what you think, I'm not having sex with him" she declared as the agent stared at her, both of them falling silent as the door creaked open and Alexis step out in Kate's t-shirt.

"Katie?" the small voice asked as Kate quickly got up and almost ran towards the redhead, lifting her into her arms as Will glared at her. "Katie your face looks hurt" Alexis whispered as she ran her fingers across where Will had hit the brunette moments before, a small smile covering Kate's face as she shook her head, not wanting to upset the little girl.

"Who the hell is that?" Will screamed as Kate felt Alexis bury her face into her neck.

"Katie, I want daddy, I feel sick" Alexis sobbed, hating the man that was shouting at them.

"I know you do sweetheart but he'll be back before you know it, I promise. His meeting is probably going on longer than he thought it would" the cop explained, trying to keep the little girl calm as she stared down at her for a moment before glaring across at Will.

"She's that writers little girl isn't he? The stupid mistake" Will shouted as shock covered Kate's face at Will's comment. Why was he saying that when he knew nothing about Rick or Alexis?

"Sweetheart go back to bed" Kate whispered gently as she put the redhead down and watched as she ran back into the bedroom. "Don't you dare say that to any child, especially when you've never met them before or met their parents" Kate screamed, finally losing it at the agent. "She's six years old and you've just called her a mistake! How dare you tell a little girl that?" she shouted, walking towards him as Will slowly began to walk backwards. "Get out" she declared, staring at the agent for a moment. "GET OUT" she hollered, amazed at how angry she was!

"Kate?" a voice asked, the brunette quickly looking across to see the writer standing in the doorway in shock. "What's going on?" Rick questioned as he looked across at Kate before looking at the man beside her, shock covering his face as he looked across again to see the hand mark on Kate's cheek. "What the hell happened?" he asked, his frustration building up as he walked towards the brunette and stared at the mark on her cheek. "Kate?" he asked quietly, her head shaking before she looked across at Will for a second. Turning quickly, Rick found himself knocking his fist into the other's man cheek as shock covered Kate's face.

"She might be a cop but you never hit a woman" he shouted as Kate stared at him for a moment. "Do you honestly think it's okay to hit someone?" he declared as Will watched the man in shock. So this was the writer? Kate's special writer? "And another thing, however angry you are at someone you never go through their things" Rick shouted, hitting the agent again before Kate grabbed his fist and shook her head.

"No! No more" she whispered gently as the writer stared at her for a moment. "You'll be just as bad as him" Kate muttered as Rick watched her for a moment before tightly wrapping his arms around her and holding her close as she smiled weakly.

"Get out" Rick shouted as Will laughed and shook his head for a moment.

"So you're the man who stole my girlfriend from me" Will declared as Rick shook his head, looking down at Kate to see that her frustration was building up. It was obvious that she didn't want Will here and he wanted him to go. He wanted to see his daughter and he really wanted to talk to Kate and make sure she was okay without that man staring at him with a small smirk. "She's not as wonderful as she thinks she is" Will stated as Kate turned to look at him. "She cares more about her work than anything, she won't ever commit one hundred per cent, she only cares herself and when she gets in one of her moods you'll be lucky to get a word out of her" he listed as Kate glared at him. Why couldn't he just get the message and leave?

"I don't care" Will stated as Kate smiled up at him. "She's my friend and that's all that matters" he declared as Will laughed and shook his head.

"When she starts to just make excuses out of your relationship, you'll see that she doesn't want to ever be completely with you" Will stated before moving towards the door, watching as Kate looked down at her feet, her small smile gone. Will was probably right, she didn't commit to anything and she cared more about her work than she'd ever cared about her boyfriend! Hearing her front door shut, Kate looked up to see that Will was now gone.

"What the hell did he do to you?" Rick asked as he cupped her uninjured cheek and stared at her for a moment, her head shaking as she moved away from him before running towards her bedroom. Alexis! She had to get back to Alexis! Entering her bedroom, Kate smiled weakly as Alexis tightly wrapped her arms around her, Kate's fingers running through her red hair as she attempted to think of what to say to her. "Lex?" Rick questioned as he entered his bedroom to find the brunette holding his daughter close to her. "What's going on?"

"Daddy was I really a mistake?" Alexis asked as Kate lifted the redhead into her arms and shook her head before pressing a kiss to the redhead's cheek as Rick watched in shock. Who the hell had told his daughter that she was a mistake? His beautiful perfect little girl was the most perfect thing that had ever happened to him! Moving closer to the writer, Kate sighed as Alexis moved into her father's arms and sobbed against him as the writer continued to shake his head, still amazed at what his daughter had just asked him.

"You were never a mistake my beautiful girl, you were never a mistake! You weren't planned but I have regretted having you in my life Alexis, I can't imagine my life without you" he declared as he pressed a kiss into her hair before sighing and looking across at Kate. "How are you feeling Lex?" he asked quietly as she nodded slowly before yawning. "Want to try and get some more sleep for me while I look after Kate?" he suggested as Alexis nodded slowly and smiled as her father placed her on Kate's bed again, watching as she buried herself under the blanket. "I love you beautiful, never believe anyone who says that to you" he declared, leaning down to kiss her forehead gently, noticing how hot she was before he turned to look at Kate. "Let's go and talk" he whispered, the brunette nodding as she slowly walked out of her room before turning to see Rick closing the door.

"I'm so sorry, he just saw her and started saying things and I told him to stop but he still said that" Kate blurted out, terrified that the writer was going to be angry at her. Her ex-boyfriend had just told his daughter that she was a mistake and she hadn't done anything to really stop him from saying it. She should have done something but she was nervous and her brain was worried that he'd hurt Alexis. Will would never hurt a child though, she knew that now but at the time she'd been scared and her face had been aching from where a man she'd previously trusted had hit her.

"Sit down" Rick sighed, worry covering her face as she slowly moved towards the couch and sat down before the writer disappeared into her kitchen. Hearing him open and close a door, Kate remained silent as the writer reappeared with a bag of ice and a towel, a small smile covering his face as he knelt down in front of her before wrapping the ice in the towel before leaning across and pressing it gently against her cheek, laughing when she winced in shock. "Your cheek looked pretty painful" he admitted as she nodded and sighed. "I see that my little girl is an NYPD officer today".

"Yeah she is" Kate smiled, not knowing what she was doing when she reached out and ran her fingers across his cheek as he stared at her before reaching across to rest his hand against hers gently, noticing the red marks that were appearing under the sleeves of her t-shirt.

"Kate?" he asked, moving away to raise the sleeve to reveal the red marks. "What the hell did he do to you?" he questioned, the brunette shaking her head as she stared at him. She didn't want to talk about it! She just wanted to forget about everything! "The bastard, the absolute bastard" he hissed as Kate smiled and ran her fingers through Rick's hair, the writer staring at her as he continued to hold the ice against her cheek.

"My face is going numb" Kate admitted.

"Sorry" he whispered, moving the ice away to see that one side of her face was a white colour and she was still watching him. "Want to order some food in? I think Alexis is going to sleep for a while, she always does after she gets upset like that" he declared as she shook her head for a moment. "Not hungry?" he asked.

"I'm so sorry that she heard that, I know she's not a mistake but I can't believe that he said that" she declared as the writer sighed and moved to sit beside her. "Your my best friend and she's your little girl and you trusted me to look after her and she's devastated" she muttered as Rick wrapped his arms around her and held her close for a moment as she relaxed, not wanting to move out of the safety of his arms. "It was fine until Will arrived I promise, she wasn't feeling too good but she was okay and we were just cuddling and Will ruined it and I'm really sorry that he told her that" she declared as Rick sighed.

"Kate, Alexis doesn't believe him, she knows she's not a mistake, it was just a shock! I don't blame you" he explained, the brunette looking up at him as he brushed his fingers across her unharmed cheek. "You're so extraordinary" he admitted as she bit into her lip and leant up slowly and locked eyes with him, her fingers running across his cheek as they moved closer to each other. "He didn't hurt you too much?" he asked quietly as she shook her head, staring down at his lips for a moment before realising how close they really were to each other.

"Your fists don't hurt?" she asked, knowing that the writer had punched Will hard and she'd forgotten to see whether he was okay! Rick had hit her ex-boyfriend and she's forgotten to ask whether he was in pain or not!

"I'm still running on adrenaline, I don't think I've ever hit someone like that before" he commented as she laughed, finding his hand quickly and running her fingers across his fist before biting her lip again. Why did she suddenly feel so nervous? Feeling Rick's hand move to the small of her back, Kate continued to play with her lip when the writer's fingers began to toy with the bottom of her t-shirt, his fingers occasionally brushing against the bare skin of her back.

"Rick" she whispered as he moved closer to her, their breathing slowing down as she continued to watch him approach her before their lips almost touched. "Is this what you really want?" she asked as he continued to hold his hand against the small of her back, keeping her still as he gently leant forward to kiss her, her smile growing at the idea. Richard Castle wanted to kiss her!

"Daddy" a voice called out as the two adults moved away from each other to sit on opposite ends of the couch, the two of them watching as Alexis walked out and moved to sit down beside her father before cuddling into Rick's side as Kate smiled and looked across to see the writer watching her. "Are we going home soon?" Alexis asked.

"Don't like it here?" Rick questioned.

"I like it here but I want my teddy bear" she explained as Rick sighed and looked across at Kate who nodded slowly. If Alexis wanted to go home, she should go home, it didn't matter what she wanted. Alexis was their main concern!

"I think your daddy should take you home then, every girl needs their teddy bear" Kate smiled as the Rick nodded and watched her for a moment. "We can talk tomorrow, she needs to get home" the brunette smiled as the writer nodded and lifted her into his arms, staring down at the t-shirt that she was wearing. "She can keep it, I have another one" she explained as the writer nodded and reached across for his daughter's coat, the brunette smiling as she stood up and draped it over the six year old before pressing a kiss into her hair and looking up at the girl's father. "Feel better soon Lex, I'll come and see you tomorrow".

"Bye Katie, I love you" Alexis yawned into her father's neck as Kate nodded before looking at the writer.

"You could come with us" Rick declared.

"No, this one needs some father daughter time" Kate smiled as he nodded slowly. "I'll come round tomorrow, bring breakfast or something" she stated as Rick watched her before walking towards the door as she walked beside him. "Thank you for what you did today".

"He deserved it" Rick smiled as she nodded slowly. "No one hurts the people I care about and gets away with it Kate" he declared, the brunette amazed at the anger that covered his face when he said that. "I'll see you tomorrow" he whispered, knowing that his daughter was getting closer to sleep.

"Tomorrow" she nodded before opening the door and watching as he carried Alexis out of her apartment and towards the elevator, a laugh leaving her lips as she shut the door and finally thought about everything! She'd almost been kissed by Richard Castle.

**You guys are amazing so I hope you enjoy this chapter! I know Kate can stick up for herself but she's got Alexis there and she's worried about her and I think Will can be a pretty strong guy when he wants to be after all he is an FBI agent! I really hope you enjoy this chapter so please comment because I love hearing from you and it means so much to me to know that you're enjoying this story still! **


	15. Chapter 15

"Did I upset Katie yesterday?" Alexis asked quietly as she climbed onto her father's bed and cuddled into his side, the writer smiling as he looked down at the little girl and shook his head. Alexis hadn't had the best timing the previous day and he wished his daughter had entered the room a few seconds later so he could have kissed Kate Beckett like he'd desperately wanted too! What was wrong with him? Kate Beckett was his best friend and yet he was desperate to kiss her and touch her and hold her close for a moment and see what they could be together! "Daddy?" Alexis questioned as the writer laughed and tightly wrapped his arms around her body, keeping her close to him as the redhead giggled, obviously feeling better.

"You didn't upset her, she completely understood that you wanted to get home sweetheart" Rick explained as he ran his fingers through his daughter's hair before sighing. She really was a beautiful little girl, the most precious thing in his world. "I think it would take a lot for you to upset Katie, she really does love you" the writer explained as Alexis nodded and yawned, the two of them sitting up when a knock at the front door rang through the practically silent apartment. "I wonder who that is?" Rick joked as Alexis squealed and ran out of the room, the writer laughing as he stood up and followed her to see her waiting patiently by the front door. Unlocking it, Rick smiled at the sight of Kate Beckett standing in the doorway with three drinks in her hands and a paper bag while her smile continued to grow.

"Katie" Alexis squealed as she tightly wrapped her arms Kate's hip, the brunette holding up what was in her hands so the little girl didn't knock them while the writer continued to laugh. "Do you have to go to work today Katie?" the redhead questioned as she moved away from her, giving Kate the ability to enter the apartment with the two Castle's.

"I actually took the whole day off to spend with you, I may have told a little lie that you were still sick and your daddy had another meeting to go too" Kate admitted, blushing when the writer stared at her in amazement. Kate Beckett had lied to get out of work so she could spend the day with him and his daughter? Who was this woman and what had she done with the workaholic Kate? "But I can only do it this once and I have loads of holiday days building up so I thought, why not take one?" she joked as Rick reached across to take the paper bag before peering inside to see a collection of muffins!

"You are amazing" he stated as she rolled her eyes and rested the drinks down, checking each one before passing a certain one to the quiet redhead.

"Hot chocolate for my favourite redhead" Kate smiled as Alexis thanked her before moving towards the couch and cuddling into the corner, Kate gasping when she turned to find herself bumping into the writer who laughed and wrapped his arms around her again. "What are you doing writer boy?" she questioned.

"Writer man, it's writer man Katherine" he declared as she nodded slowly and watched him for a moment. "What did you get me?" he asked quietly.

"A coffee, just the way you like it" she said as she passed him his drink and watched as he took a small sip before nodding. "I know your order so if anything's wrong with it, the coffee shop did something wrong for the first time in forever" she declared as Rick laughed, cradling the drink in his hands instead of holding her. He missed touching her, resting his hand on the small of his back and occasionally feeling her skin against his when her shirt slipped out from underneath where his hand was resting. "How was last night? Did Alexis sleep okay? Is she feeling any better?" Kate asked, her concern obvious in her voice as Rick smiled at her for a moment.

"She slept through the night; I think it was just a one day thing because she was better when she got home! She was sleepy of course and still a bit weak but she looked better and she went straight to bed the moment we got home" he explained, attempting to calm the brunette down as she nodded and looked across at the couch to see Alexis sipping her hot chocolate with a small smile covering her still pale face. "Let's go and talk in my office, she'll fall asleep in a minute, she's still trying to get better" he whispered as she nodded and allowed the writer to lead her towards his office while she clung onto her coffee. Entering the writer's workplace, Kate smiled as Rick sat down at his desk before looking at her as she rested her coffee down on the desk before moving to run her fingers across the spine of each book, taking in every title as Rick continued to watch her in amazement. "About what happened" he began.

"Nothing happened, Alexis interrupted before anything could happen" Kate smiled, remembering how far they'd moved away from each other when the redhead had entered the room and disrupted their almost kiss. "Would you like it to happen though?" Kate asked, remaining focused on the books so she couldn't see her friend if he said no to her.

"I think it's something that I would be against Kate" Rick laughed as she nodded gently before quickly turning to look at him to see the large smile that was starting to cover his face. This was her friend and here she was discussing kissing him with him! Who did that? How was that a normal friendship? "But I want it to be under the right circumstances, I don't want it to be something we regret and destroys our friendship Kate because this means the world to me" he explained before standing up and staring at her as she nodded and approached the desk before sitting down in the spare chair. "She was worried that she'd upset you".

"How Rick?" Kate laughed, trying to think of anyway that the little girl could have hurt her. She adored Alexis and if anything seeing Alexis feeling as ill as she'd done the previous day made her upset.

"She thought you were upset because she wanted to come home" Rick declared as Kate shook her head and smiled. "I tried to explain to her that you weren't and then you knocked on the door so she was distracted but she seems so nervous at the moment" the writer admitted as the cop nodded slowly and sighed. Had Will done that to the little girl? Had Will made her this nervous because he'd called her a mistake? "I'm having a poker night next week and I would love it if you would come" Rick stated after a few moments of watching Kate think about things. "Some other writers are coming and the mayor as well and they would love to meet you Kate, they've been asking when they can be introduced to the woman my daughter is always talking about" he declared as she bit into her lip. Richard Castle was inviting her to a poker night with the mayor and fellow writers? Did he really want to introduce her to people like that? Hearing another knock at the front door, Rick groaned as he stood up and looked at the brunette for a second to see that she was still playing with her bottom lip. "Give me an answer when I get back" he stated.

"Okay" she smiled, watching as he walked out of the room with a large grin covering her face. Walking through the corridor, Rick laughed as he approached the door before looking around at his office for a moment. Why did he feel so happy about this? He knew, of course he knew why! He was getting closer to her and it felt amazing. Hearing someone knock on the door again, Rick laughed as he quickly grabbed the door handle and unlocked it to reveal the sight of his ex-wife standing in the corridor with a suitcase resting beside her.

"Surprise" Meredith squealed as Rick stood in complete silence, not knowing what to say to the woman in front of him! What was she doing here? She had to tell him before he arrived, they'd discussed that numerous times and yet here she was standing in the corridor to his apartment with a suitcase as always! "So where's my little girl?" the redhead laughed as she pushed past the writer and entered the apartment to see Alexis fast asleep on the couch. "Doesn't she have a bedroom Rick?" she asked as she looked down at Alexis for a moment before turning around to see the writer standing in the doorway in silence. "Suitcase Richard" the redhead ordered as Rick shook his head.

"You're not staying Meredith, get a hotel room" Rick announced.

"Of course I am kitten, I've come to visit our beautiful little girl and you" she cheered as she slowly removed her jacket to reveal the mid-thigh dress she was wearing that clung to her perfectly, showing every part of her figure perfectly. Walking towards him, Meredith laughed as she draped her arms around him and watched as he attempted to step away from her, failing when she tightened her arms around his neck. "Come on kitten, we have fun whenever I'm in town".

"Meredith" he warned as she shook her head and leant up to kiss him, her lips attacking his just as Kate walked out of the office. Pulling away from her, Rick glared at her before looking across to see Kate staring at him, her smile now gone as she grabbed her jacket and walked towards the door, the writer attempting to walk out but failing when Meredith clung onto his arms. "Kate" Rick called out, knowing that it was probably hopeless!

**I know, I know I am a horrible person leaving you with another cliff hanger but all these ideas keep coming to my head and they're all happening now so as Meredith said, surprise! What do you think? And you guys really are amazing and wonderful and fantastic and your reviews really do make me smile so please continue to comment! **


	16. Chapter 16

Entering her apartment, Kate sighed as she tightly wrapped her arms around her chest before shaking her head. She wanted her mom; she wanted her mom more than anything! She wanted someone she could explain everything too, someone who would understand how she was feeling! She didn't even understand her own feelings! Richard Castle wasn't her boyfriend so why did it hurt so much to see him kiss another woman! A woman who seemed to be completely perfect and gorgeous and willing and everything a writer would fall for. She was clearly an actress or someone like that, someone who spent their life looking after themselves and making themselves looking perfect! Moving towards her couch, Kate sighed as she sat down and buried her face into the cushion, determined not to cry at what had happened. Why had she let herself believe that he might be interested in her? She was a cop and he was a writer, it didn't even happen in television so why would it happen in real life? Fairy tales didn't happen so why did she think that he would want her?

XOOXOXOXOXOOXO

"Daddy where's Katie?" Alexis yawned as she entered her father's office before falling silent when she found her mother standing there with a large smile covering her face as she stared at the six year old in amazement. "Dad?" Alexis asked, quickly moving around her mother to hug her father who lifted her into his arms and pressed a kiss to her cheek as she cuddled into his side. "Daddy where's Katie? She said she'd be here" the six year old said quietly as Rick shut his eyes for a moment. How did he tell his daughter that Kate had run away because Meredith had kissed him?

"Don't I get a hello darling?" Meredith asked, shocked when Alexis didn't say anything to her. "And who's this Kate anyway?" the redhead asked as she sat down in the chair Kate had been sitting in earlier before relaxing back and staring at her ex-husband and daughter. "Come on who is she? One of those women you found who adores your books and would do anything to get to know you a little bit?" Meredith declared as shock covered Rick's face. How dare she say that in front of Alexis? How dare she even suggest that about Kate? Beautiful, perfect, loving Kate who adored his daughter more than anything in the world and had been seconds away from kissing him the previous day, the woman he wanted to kiss more than anything! Kate was his biggest fan and yet she was his biggest critic, she wasn't going to let him get away with things that were wrong and she would tell him when he was being stupid! She wasn't a fan who would say whatever they thought he wanted to hear, she would tell him what he needed to hear and Meredith was completely wrong about her!

"Meredith don't make comments about people you don't know" Rick announced before looking down at his daughter. "Lexi, Kate went home because mommy and daddy did something that upset her and it was stupid and I wish it had never happened because Kate's angry at me and that's bad because she means a lot to me" the writer stated as Alexis moved away from him slightly, shock covering her face before she turned to look at her mother who just shrugged and began to play with her hair again.

"Daddy you need to go and say sorry to Katie" Alexis ordered, her voice full of determination as the writer nodded and put her down. "I'm coming too".

"No, you need to stay with your mom pumpkin. She's come all the way to New York to see you" Rick announced before looking across at Meredith who had a large guilty smile on her face, the smile that used to cover her face whenever she wanted something or needed to admit something during their marriage! "What is it?" Rick asked as the redhead stood up and ran her fingers through her hair as the writer continued to watch her.

"I have an audition in twenty minutes" she stated as Rick laughed. Why had he ever believed that Meredith would come to New York just to see their daughter? Meredith just turned up and managed to ruin things without a care in the world! "But we can spend tomorrow together darling, we'll go and buy some pretty clothes or something" she declared, looking down at the NYPD t-shirt Alexis was wearing over a pair of bright blue shorts. "I mean Richard; she needs to be dressed better than this, she's our daughter! What if the press saw her dressed like this? I mean an NYPD t-shirt Rick? You have enough money to buy her decent clothes" she asked as Alexis held onto the material and stared down at it for a moment.

"I like the clothes I have and I don't want to go shopping with you" Alexis blurted out before staring up at her mother. "I don't like pretty dresses and things, you can't do fun things in dresses. You can't play laser tag or hide and seek properly in a dress" the redhead shouted as Meredith stared at her in shock. What the hell was Alexis saying? "And you can't just take me clothes shopping and think that it's going to make anything better when it isn't! You upset Katie and you don't care that you hurt her, you're a horrible selfish person" she screamed, tears running down her cheeks as Rick rested his hand on his daughter's shoulder.

"Alexis" Rick whispered.

"And you hurt her too" Alexis declared, moving out from under his grip. "She's your best friend and you hurt her, why would you do that? You need to make it better daddy because Katie trusts you" she announced before walking out of the room, her exit making Meredith quickly turn to face the writer.

"What the hell Richard? She can't talk to us like that! We're her parents, I'm her mother and she's treating me like I don't know her! This Katie seems more important to her than I am and I'm her mother, she wouldn't be here if it wasn't for me" Meredith screamed, obviously annoyed and jealous that Alexis seemed to love Kate more than her!

"Meredith, you're not in her life! You think clothes shopping would make her like you? You can't buy Alexis' love, you need to earn it" he declared as he moved towards the door before turning around to look at her. "Don't you have an audition to get too Meredith?" he asked as the redhead nodded and grabbed her purse before walking towards the door and leaving without saying anything. She had nothing to say. Hearing the front door open and close, Rick sighed as he ran up the stairs and approached his mother's bedroom, praying that she'd actually come home that night! He needed to make things better! He needed to make things right!

XOXOXOXXOXOXO

Hearing someone bang on her front door hard, Kate sighed as she slowly moved off her couch and approached it, her hand reaching out for the lock before she sighed and undid it and pulled the door open, shock covering her face at the man who was standing there.

"Don't slam the door in my face" Rick begged as he stared at the brunette who was watching him in shock. "Let me explain what happened" he whispered as she crossed her arms and looked at him for a moment, not knowing what to say to him! She wanted to hear what he had to say, she wanted him to tell her something that made everything go away but she doubted that it would ever happen! He was going to tell her that she was some beautiful woman that he'd just met and wanted to get to know and that she was nothing more than a friend.

"Tell me then" she stated. "Tell me why I saw you kissing another woman".

"It was Meredith and she still thinks it's acceptable to do that and we used to occasionally do things together when we weren't seeing anyone that seem completely stupid when I think about it but Kate, I don't want to do anything with her anymore and I didn't want to kiss her but you don't know Meredith and she is stronger than you think" Rick stated as Kate stared at him for a moment. Did she really believe him? "Kate, I don't want you to be angry with me! Alexis already shouted at me for making you disappear and Kate, I don't want you to hate me because of Meredith" he declared as she bit into her lip and watched him for a moment. "We were going to have something amazing Kate and I'm sorry that Meredith upset you but please don't let this end our friendship, end us" he whispered as she looked at him for a moment before shaking her head for a second. "Kate".

"I don't want to ruin our friendship or us" she declared as he smiled at her before disappearing out of sight for a second. "Rick?" she asked as she stepped out of the apartment and laughed at the sight of the writer picking up the bouquet of flowers that were resting on the floor, her smile growing as he turned and passed them to her. "What are these for?" she questioned.

"They're just to make you happy Kate, every woman likes flowers" he stated as she laughed and quickly took hold of them before smelling them gently and looking across at him. "They're having an old movie marathon at the theatre down town, want to come with me, mother is looking after Alexis?" he asked as she bit into his lip and nodded quickly before laughing as she tightly wrapped her arms around him and sighed as the writer watched her for a moment as she shook her head for a moment.

"I shouldn't have stormed out like that, I should have waited for an answer. I just…" she whispered as he shook his head and brushed the hair away from her face so he could see the pink mark on her cheek. "Rick" she moaned as he ran his fingers across it gently, desperately trying not to hurt her as he touched it.

"I don't blame you for running out Kate, you thought that the rumours of me being a playboy were right and I don't blame you for that! You see me kissing a woman you've never seen before, I think I would think the same thing about myself" he declared as she nodded slowly and sighed. "Come on, we could probably get dinner before the movies start if we went now" he stated as she nodded and entered her apartment.

"I want to get changed, can you put these in a vase for me?" she asked as he nodded and took the flowers back before watching as she disappeared into her bedroom. Placing the flowers in the only vase he could find, Rick smiled as the brunette reappeared in a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt with her brown leather jacket pulled over it, her smile growing as the writer looked at her for a moment. She really was extremely beautiful! "Can we go and get something to eat now? I haven't eaten since this morning" she admitted as the writer nodded; the two of them walking out of the apartment as she smiled across at him and entered the elevator in silence as his fingers slowly began to run against her knuckles, her smile growing as she turned her head to look at him in amazement.

"Defiantly want Chinese?" he asked as she nodded.

"Chinese sounds amazing" she admitted as he finally entwined his fingers with hers. "What movies are they showing tonight?" she asked quickly as she relaxed back against the writer.

"Well the main one is The Forbidden Planet…" he began as she squeezed his hand in excitement. "What?" he questioned.

"That's one of my favourite films" Kate admitted as he nodded; his smile growing as they stepped out of the elevator together.

"It's one of mine too" Rick declared as Kate laughed.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

"So why's Meredith in town?" Kate asked as she stared down at her meal before quickly looking up at him when he suddenly groaned. "Come on, tell me" she smiled as the writer sighed and relaxed back in his chair.

"She told me that she was here for Alexis and then when I suggested that she spend the day with our daughter she blurts out that she's actually got an audition today" he explained as shock covered Kate's face. "It doesn't surprise me though, she always does it! Alexis always comes second to the job and today Alexis just blurted it all out" he admitted before shaking his head as shock covered her face! Alexis had told her mom exactly how she felt?

"What do you mean?" Kate asked quietly.

"She was furious that we'd made you go, she shouted at Meredith and then she shouted at me and well here I am, doing what I want and what my daughter wants as well" he declared as he reached across and found her hand, smiling as he stared at the watch that continued to decorate her wrist. "Have you heard from him?" Rick asked quietly as she shook her head before shutting her eyes for a moment.

"He calls occasionally, normally only for a couple of minutes just to tell me how he's doing but we haven't really had a proper talk yet. I can't wait for him to come home though" she declared before opening her eyes and forcing a smile onto her face as the writer nodded slowly. "When he comes home I want him to meet you properly and Alexis" she smiled as Rick stared at her.

"Alexis would love that Kate, she would love to meet him and she'll probably love hearing all his embarrassing stories about you that he has to tell" he admitted as she nodded and ate some of her meal again, the writer watching her as she laughed gently and stared up at him.

"Are you sure that you're not talking about yourself there Mr Castle?" Kate asked as he shrugged.

"Well of course I'd like to know some of your embarrassing stories Miss Beckett" he declared as she rolled her eyes at him before laughing and continuing to eat her meal. "I'm glad you forgave me Kate" he admitted as she smiled and looked across at him, squeezing his hand as she watched him in amazement.

"I'll always forgive you Rick, I'll always forgive you as long as there's a decent reason" she admitted as he sighed. "I can't imagine what my life was like without you Rick, I can't imagine how I got through things without having you to talk too or Alexis to make me smile when I'm sad" she declared as the writer watched her for a moment. "I haven't had friends outside of work for a long time" she admitted.

"Well I'm glad that I'm your friend" he declared before they both fell silent for a moment. "You finished?" he asked as she nodded and watched as the writer stood up and disappeared to pay the bill while she pulled her jacket back on. Smiling when he reappeared, Kate quickly stood up and stared at him.

"I'm buying popcorn Rick" she stated as he shrugged and led her out of the small restaurant, his hand resting on the small of her back as they exited the restaurant and she turned to look at him. "You need to stop paying for me".

"I'm a gentleman, I like doing it" he declared as they slowly linked arms and walked down the street, the cop laughing as she shook her head and looked up at him. He was taller than her again because of her decision to wear flat shoes but she enjoyed the height difference! It separated her from the work Becket. It made her Kate, it helped in making her leave her work at work!

"Rick, I like the whole gentleman thing and everything but I can pay for myself. I earn money so I can pay for my own meal" she announced as he shrugged, smiling when the theatre finally came into sight.

"You can buy the popcorn and the drink" he agreed as she nodded and stared at him for a moment before laughing and quickly crossing the room, the two of them entering the building in silence as she slowly moved to dig the money out of her pocket.

XOXOXOXOOXOXOXXO

Feeling Kate rest her head on his shoulder, Rick looked across to see her watching the film while cuddled up against him, their fingers entwined as they both smiled. Looking back at the screen, Rick smiled as he thought about how Kate was the only person he could ever imagine going to the movies with to see these kind of films and how perfect it felt to have her cuddled into his side as it got later and later.

"Are you working tomorrow?" Rick whispered, hoping not to disturb the ten other people who were sat around them.

"Shit" Kate hissed before laughing and looking at her watch. "I forgot about work tomorrow" she smiled as the writer shook his head and looked at her as she locked eyes with him and bit into her lip.

"We can go if you want Kate?" he suggested, not surprised when she quickly shook her head and squeezed his hand before turning to look at the screen.

"I'm not going anywhere" she stated as Rick nodded and smiled, watching as she relaxed back into his side again, not taking her eyes off the screen as she completed the action. "Thank you Rick" Kate whispered as the writer stared at her for a moment before focusing on the movie again. "Is this a date?" she blurted out after they'd fallen into silence for a few minutes.

"Do you want it to be?" he asked as she shrugged. "That's not a good answer" he commented, biting into his lip when someone shushed him from the row in front of them. "Katherine Beckett, do you want this to be a date?" he questioned quietly, hoping not to disturb anyone else around them. "It could be seen as a date I guess, I brought you flowers, we went for dinner and now we're at the movies" he explained. "It's the traditional first date to most people".

"So we are on a date?" she questioned as he laughed.

"Kate" he warned as they continued to focus on the movie. "This is a date okay, we're on a date, there's your answer, Katherine Beckett we're on a date" he announced, wanting to end the crazy circular conversation to end, smiling when she burst out laughing before falling silent when everyone around them turned to face her! "Sorry we'll shut up now" he declared as the people slowly turned back around. "Shut up" Rick warned her quietly.

"Sorry" she whispered before squeezing his hand and smiling. She was on a date with Richard Castle!

**So what do you think? I decided that if it continued all depressing then you wouldn't be too happy but here it is and I really hope you enjoy it and review because they mean so much to me and your comments so far have been so awesome! **


	17. Chapter 17

"Daddy you were gone all night" Alexis commented as she watched her father enter the apartment as he smiled and nodded before walking towards her and pressing kisses to her forehead and cheeks, a giggle leaving her lips as she stared at her father for a moment. Why was he so happy? "Did you see Katie?" she asked quickly as Rick nodded, the writer beaming as he sat down next to her and watched as Alexis stared at him in amazement. "You did see her didn't you daddy? And you made everything better?" she asked impatiently as Rick laughed and nodded, smiling at his daughter before yawning! He hadn't slept and he'd managed to make it through every movie with Kate, even when they were the only ones in the movie theatre! He'd held her hands and she'd rested her head on his shoulder occasionally and they'd laughed and cried during the movies and had just had fun until they were over and Kate had excused herself to get to work, leaving him with a kiss on the cheek before disappearing down the road. He wished he'd kissed her before she'd gone, wished he's gotten that chance to feel what her lips were like against his but she was scared of running late and he didn't want her to be angry at him for making her late for work.

"I went to Katie's with a big bouquet of flowers and explained everything to her and we talked and then we went out for some dinner and we spent the night at the movies" Rick explained as Alexis nodded slowly, staring at him as she waited for him to say the last thing that he obviously wanted to blurt out. "Can I tell you something if you promise not to tell anyone?" he asked as she nodded. "And that includes your grandmother" he warned, laughing when Alexis nodded again and leant further forward to listen to her father. "Katie and I went on a date last night" he whispered as shock covered the six year olds face.

"You mean a date where you kiss and hold hands and are boyfriend and girlfriend?" Alexis squealed as Rick shook his head and stared at her for a moment.

"Kate and I aren't boyfriend and girlfriend at the moment sweetheart and we haven't kissed, we just went on our first date and we just want to see what it's like before we make any decisions like that" he explained as Alexis nodded slowly before sighing and reaching across for a piece of pineapple out of her bowl of fruit. "But we're working towards that I think Alexis" Rick added as Alexis cheered and laughed. "I thought that we could invite Kate to dinner tonight" he admitted.

"I'd like that dad" the redhead beamed before they both turned when the floorboard on the stairs creaked, forcing both Alexis and Rick to turn as shock covered the writer's face at the sight of his ex-wife walking down the stairs in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, her face already perfectly made up and her red hair styled perfectly! Meredith could never just be natural; she always had to be perfectly dressed up! She wouldn't let anyone see the real her!

"I thought you were getting a hotel" Rick stated as Meredith shrugged and entered the kitchen, pouring herself a glass of water before turning and facing the writer and their daughter. "Are you getting a hotel room tonight?" he asked.

"What's the point? I've unpacked all my things anyway" she stated as Rick looked across at Alexis who was currently staring into her fruit salad. "Anyway I want to spend some time with my little girl; I thought I could take her to the theatre tonight or something. There's this amazing play on show at the moment" she declared as Alexis quickly shook her head.

"It's a school night, I can't go to the theatre on a school night and anyway Katie's coming for dinner tonight and I want to talk to her because I didn't get too last time" the six year old stated before climbing out of her chair and smiling at the writer. "I'm going to get ready for school dad" she stated as Rick nodded and watched as she ran up the stairs, the writer knowing that Meredith was going to start shrieking in a minute.

"Richard, I am her mother, not this Kate woman" Meredith immediately shouted once the bedroom door was closed upstairs, indicating that Alexis had gone into her room to get ready. "I am trying to spend time with her and all she wants to do is spend time with this Kate woman" she declared as the writer shrugged, reaching across for the paper that was resting on the table. "Richard, listen to me for once in your god damn life, this is important".

"Meredith, Kate's around, you're not! Alexis likes Kate, they have a lot in common" Rick explained as Meredith stared at him in shock. "They have the same taste in books and Kate's been there for Alexis through a lot of things, she's been there for Alexis when she's been sick and they're good friends, Alexis loves spending times with her" he admitted as Meredith slammed her fists down on the table, not shocking Rick with how dramatic she was.

"She's my daughter Richard and I want to spend time with her! I'm hardly in New York and I want to spend some time with my little girl while I'm here and she's refusing to spend time with me because Alexis can't miss seeing her precious Katie" she shouted as Rick shrugged and looked at her for a moment, noticing how the smile was gone and she was the same stroppy young woman that he'd first married who would slam her fists down on the table whenever she wanted something. "What's wrong with her missing one day of school in order to come to the theatre with me tonight?" she asked as Rick shook his head.

"You don't understand Meredith, Alexis loves school! She loves her lessons, she loves her friends and she loves having a schedule, you don't get to come and visit and disrupt that" he declared as Meredith rolled her eyes, the writer smiling as Alexis ran over and jumped into his lap, smiling at how she was reading for school "Ready to go?" Rick asked as the redhead nodded and stood up, holding onto her father's hand.

"Could I take her?" Meredith asked as Rick looked down at her daughter. "I'd like to see where she goes to school" the actress admitted as Alexis slowly nodded and let go of her father's hand, knowing that she needed to trust her mother and let her into her life! She had her mom and some people didn't, Katie didn't have mom and she knew that she should be happy that her mom wanted to make an effort to see her school and understand her life. "Can I take you to school please Alexis?" Meredith asked as the redhead clung onto her hand and smiled.

"I'll pick you up at the normal time pumpkin" Rick smiled as Alexis nodded and slowly walked out of the apartment with her mother, the writer watching as the door shut. He needed to shower and then he needed to call Kate just so he had someone to talk too while his daughter was at school!

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

"So what's got this massive smile on your face then Katherine Beckett?" Lanie asked as she stared at the brunette who had just entered the morgue with a large grin covering her face. "Is it a man? Is it your writer man?" she questioned as Kate slowly nodded before laughing and sitting down on the empty autopsy table. "Oh my god Kate, did you have sex with Richard Castle?" Lanie squealed as Kate quickly shook her head as Lanie watched her in amazement. "So what's made you smile like this?"

"We went on a date and it was the most amazing date I've ever been on" Kate explained as the ME nodded slowly. "We'd had a bit of a disagreement at first but then he came to my apartment with flowers and the next second we're going for Chinese and we spent the whole night at the movies watching classic sci-fi movies, it was fantastic" the brunette admitted as Lanie stared at her! "It was an amazing evening and it was so funny when I asked him whether it was a date but I've never been on a date like it" she declared.

"Sounds like your typical flowers, dinner, movie date Kate" Lanie commented as Kate quickly shook her head at her friend! It wasn't like that, it had been so perfect! It was like he knew everything she loved and had decided to experience her favourite movies with her, his favourite movies too.

"Lanie, they were some of my most favourite films ever and it was the perfect first date for me, it was awkward in a way but it was also easy because we knew each other and we were able to just talk" she explained as the ME nodded, knowing that it had to be good to make Katherine Beckett smile like she was! Hearing a knock at the door, both women quickly turned to see Esposito standing in the doorway with a small smile covering his face.

"You have a visitor Beckett" Javier stated as confusion covered Kate's face. Someone had come to see her?

"A visitor?" she questioned, confusion covering her face as Javier moved out of the doorway and Rick stepped into the morgue, amazement appearing on his face as he looked around the room for a moment. "Hi" Kate whispered as the writer nodded at her before glancing across at Javier and Lanie who nodded and slowly left the room in silence as Kate smiled and took a step towards him. "What are you doing here?" Kate questioned.

"I came to invite you to dinner tonight, Alexis wants to see you again" he explained as she nodded and laced her fingers with his, unable to stop herself from smiling as she thought about Rick's daughter and how excited she was to actually see her again. "Meredith took her to school this morning, it was a strange thing for Meredith to want to do" he declared as Kate stared at him for a moment before nodding. "I had fun last night Kate".

"I did too" she admitted as the writer beamed at the comment. "We should do it again sometime, you and me, another date" she commented as Rick nodded in agreement before looking down at their entwined fingers. "We like holding hands, don't we writer man?" she observed as Rick laughed and squeezed her hand tightly, not wanting to let go as she stared at him in amazement before climbing off the autopsy table and sighing. "I should get back to work" she commented.

"No stay, let's talk about something fun" Rick moaned as Kate shook her head and looked at him for a moment.

"If I don't get to work, I won't be able to come to dinner tonight" she muttered as he groaned and finally let go off of her hand, a laugh leaving her lips at how fast he'd let go. "Will Meredith be there Rick?" she asked.

"I don't know but we'll still have fun and Alexis really wants to see you, she's desperate to see you Kate and make sure that I wasn't lying when I told" he admitted honestly as she slowly nodded and sighed before pressing a kiss to his cheek.

"Are you two finished in there?" Lanie called out from the corridor as Kate laughed and slowly walked out of the morgue to see Lanie and Javier waiting for her. "So you took our detective on a date then Mr Castle?" Lanie asked as Kate glared across at her friend. Why did she have to do this? Why did she have to embarrass her like this? "Come on then, tell us all about your date with Katie" she teased as Rick laughed and wrapped an arm around Kate who was already blushing.

"I'm going to go before you get any more strawberry coloured Kate" he teased as she laughed and pressed a kiss to his cheek before laughing when he waved at Lanie and Javier before looking down at the brunette for a moment. "I will see you at dinner tonight, come round whenever you're finished and we'll do dinner together" he declared as she nodded and watching as he walked away slowly and disappeared into the elevator.

"Why didn't you kiss him?" Lanie moaned as Kate bit into her lip. "You had the whole moment there, a whole moment which was screaming kiss him Kate and you didn't, all you did was let him run away" she declared as Kate continued to look at her for a moment before quickly running towards the elevator and hitting it with her fist, Lanie laughing as she watched Kate enter the metal box. Standing in silence as she waited for the elevator to reach her floor, Kate laughed as the doors open and she quickly ran out before sighing, realising that the writer was gone and she'd missed her chance! She'd missed her chance to kiss the writer even though the moment had been practically screaming minutes ago.

XOOXOXOXOXOXO

Hearing his phone ring, Rick groaned as he looked up from his writing to reach across for it. He wanted it to be Kate so he could have someone interesting to talk to until his daughter came home from school. He knew his little girl would be excited about the fact that Kate was coming to dinner! He got to spend more time with Kate Beckett again, another amazing evening with her! Grabbing the phone, Rick sighed as he relaxed back and pressed it to his ear, preparing himself to answer.

"Hello" he smiled.

"Mr Castle, I'm calling about Alexis. I was wondering whether she's sick or something because you normally call if she can't attend school" the woman explained down the phone as Rick sat up. What did she mean his daughter hadn't turned up for school? "Mr Castle?" she asked.

"I'm sorry but her mother was supposed to drop her off today and I have no idea where she is, thank you for calling me" Rick sighed as the woman commented before putting the phone down, the writer quickly moving out of his chair before opening his desk drawer to see that Alexis passport was missing from the collection that he kept in there. "I'm going to kill her" he hissed as he grabbed his phone and dialled Kate's number.

"Rick I'm working" Kate hissed down the phone when she answered.

"I want to report a kidnapping or something like that" he declared, his voice filled with panic as confusion covered her face. What was he talking about? "Meredith has taken Alexis and she's taken her passport and everything. Kate I need to get Alexis back and I'm sorry but I really need your help" he blurted out as tears ran down his cheeks, shocking the brunette with how emotional he sounded.

"I'm coming right now" she declared as she stood up and grabbed her jacket before shutting her eyes for a moment. "I'm going to find her Rick, no matter what happens I'm going to get her back and I'm going to kill that ex-wife of yours for taking her when she's supposed to be in school" she stated as the writer shut his eyes, trying not to cry as he listened to her. "She's probably having a nightmare with your daughter anyway, Alexis is going to hate missing school" she declared before saying goodbye and putting the phone down and looking across at Ryan and Esposito. "I need your help" she stated.

"What's going on?" Javier asked.

"Rick's ex-wife has taken Alexis and her passport and Rick doesn't know where she is and I need you to check anything to do with Meredith. I need you to find out where she's taken Alexis for me" she explained as both men nodded, watching as she walked towards the elevator, obviously angry at the other woman!

XOXOXOOXOXOXO

"Rick?" Kate asked as she entered the apartment, fortunate that Martha was leaving to go to an audition although obviously concerned about her granddaughter's whereabouts. Approaching him slowly, Kate sighed as she rested her hands on his shoulders before massaging them and leaning down to press a kiss to his cheek, wanting to make him feel better about everything. She knew he was angry that he'd let Meredith take her to school, that he had been so trusting about a woman who clearly had gone against everything he said and asked. "She's going to be home soon, Ryan and Esposito are looking into everything to find out where they are and we'll get her back before her bed time".

"I shouldn't have let her take Alexis to school, I should have taken Alexis instead but I was desperate for them to spend some time together and I was certain she wouldn't make Alexis miss school because she loves it so much" he whispered as she sighed and slowly moved to sit beside him before cuddling up against him. "Kate she's taken my little girl, my beautiful little girl, she's probably taken her to another country" he declared as Kate ran her fingers slowly through his hair, not wanting to scare him. She was going to get Alexis back; she was going to get Alexis back to her father! "This isn't how I wanted to spend tonight".

"We'll have dinner when she gets home" Kate promised as he slowly turned her head to look at him, a small smile covering her face as she watched him, her fingers still playing with his hair as they fell silent for a moment. Hearing her phone ring, Kate groaned as she dug it out of her purse to see Javier's name flashing on the screen. "Give me one second" she whispered.

"Kate" he warned.

"I'll tell you everything I promise, just let me talk to him on my own for a moment" she stated as she stood up and answered the phone, moving towards the kitchen as she pressed it to her ear. "What's going on Javi?" she asked.

"She got a plane to Paris four hours ago, she's also booked a hotel in Paris" Javier said simply as Kate shut her eyes.

"Book us tickets for the next plane" Kate stated as she turned to look at the writer who was staring at her. "Text me the details when you've got it sorted, I need to pack some things" she declared as Javier mumbled in agreement before Kate quickly put the phone down and walked towards Rick who quickly stood up and stared at her. "They got a plane to Paris four hours ago but Espo is getting us some tickets and we're going to go and get her so you need to pack a bag" she stated as he looked at her in amazement. "I need to pack a bag as well" she commented.

"You're coming with me?" he asked.

"Defiantly, I'm not going to miss the chance to go to Paris. I love Paris and you need someone who speaks the language decently" she stated before laughing and staring at him. "And I also want to shout at your ex-wife for taking your daughter out of school without no decent reason and I want to accuse her of kidnapping a little girl" she declared as the writer tightly wrapped his arms around her before pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Pack a bag and we'll go to mine and I'll get one ad we can go to the airport" she stated as Rick nodded and disappeared towards his bedroom to get a bag ready. They were going to get Alexis back! They were going to get the six year old back!

**I've left it in a silly place again but the next chapter is going to be Castle and Beckett in Paris and the big conflict with Meredith. Once again your reviews have been amazing and I hope you enjoy this chapter, even though this isn't one of my favourite chapters! Anyway please review, I really want to hear what you think about this chapter and the almost kiss and Meredith and Alexis and everything because you're so wonderful and I'm a terrible updater because college is so damn busy! **


	18. Chapter 18

"Their hotel should be right down here" Kate declared as she held onto the writer's hand and led him down the street, smiling when she saw the hotel sign down the road while Rick squeezed her hand tightly and followed her in silence. Their plane journey had felt like forever, especially when Kate had fallen asleep and he had time to think about everything, think about the fact that his ex-wife had lied to him and taken their daughter out of the country when she was supposed to be at school. "You ready?" Kate asked, turning around to see sadness covering the writer's face, a sigh leaving her lips before she tightly wrapped her arms around his neck before pressing a kiss to his cheek and smiling. "Let's go and get your little girl back" Kate whispered before entering the hotel building and approaching the reception desk, the writer watching as Kate started talking to the receptionist in French, a laugh leaving Kate's lips as she nodded and slowly moved away to look at the writer. "I know which room there in, come with me" she stated as she took hold of Rick's hand and squeezed it tightly.

"You're amazing Kate" he stated as they slowly began to walk up the stairs, the brunette sighing as she stared down at their entwined fingers, no longer surprised by how they always seemed to hold hands. They liked the contact; she loved having someone who she wasn't afraid to be physically in contact with, someone who she could be close too without caring about what anyone else thought about them. "You're beautiful, clever, strong and yet you're so warm hearted and you've stopped working to come all the way to Paris with me to find my beautiful little girl" he declared, the brunette stopping to look at him as he brushed the hair away from her face and sighed, the two of them staring at each other on the stairs before Kate slowly moved away from him and started to walk up the stairs again. "What room number was it?" he asked.

"Two hundred and sixteen" she declared as Rick nodded and slowly followed her door the corridor, the two of them checking each room number before they finally reached the door she needed. "Let me do this" she warned, turning to look at the writer who stared at her for a moment. "Rick we need to be in control of the situation, if you go in kicking and screaming then we're just going to make more of a scene and the French authority's will get involved" she stated, smiling when Rick nodded and squeezed her hand before letting go and watching as Kate knocked on the wooden door.

"Alexis sweetheart can you get that? It's probably room service and I need to finish my make-up" Kate heard a voice shout from within the room before the door creaked open and Alexis looked round, shock covering her face as Kate smiled at her, the redhead laughing when her father quickly scooped her into his arms and started to press kisses to her cheeks while Kate smiled and waited for Meredith to appear. Hearing a door open and close from within the room, Kate watched as the redhead walked towards them, shock covering her face when she realised that Rick was there, holding Alexis tightly in his arms with a large frown starting to appear when he saw her. "Richard what a surprise! What are you doing here?" Meredith laughed, attempting to sound calm as Kate dug out her badge and held it out in front of the woman.

"What you did could be classified as kidnapping, did you know that?" Kate declared as shock covered the redhead's face.

"She's my daughter, it's not kidnapping when she's my daughter" Meredith stated as the writer looked across at Kate who smiled and looked down at Alexis who had buried her face into her father's neck.

"It is kidnapping when you don't have custody and you don't inform Mr Castle about where you're taking her, fortunately Mr Castle won't be pressing charges against you but if it happens again then he has the right to press changes for kidnapping" Kate recited as the writer smirked! He was so lucky to have a friend who was a cop, a friend who was more than a friend when he thought about it!

"Go and get your stuff sweetheart and remember your passport" Rick declared as he put Alexis down and watched as she disappeared into the hotel room, leaving the three adults alone together in the corridor. "How could you Meredith? She loves school and you just took her out of school without telling anyone" he shouted as Meredith stared at them for a moment, shock still covering her face as she took in what the woman had told her. "Do we have a plane home booked?" Rick questioned as Kate quickly shook her head, knowing that she need to organise one before she watched as Alexis ran over and tightly wrapped her arms around her, dropping her bag on the ground, while Meredith watched in disapprovement.

"It's that woman" Meredith hissed. "You brought that bloody woman with you" the redhead shrieked, realising that the cop that had just informed her that she had kidnapped her own daughter was the woman that both Rick and Alexis were obsessed with. "Why the hell did you bring her with you?"

"Because I needed someone who could find you, do remember Meredith that you just kidnapped our daughter" he shouted before looking down to see Kate holding Alexis close to her while playing with her hair, desperately trying to distract her from everything else that was going on around her. "If anyone was in the wrong right now, it's you" Rick stated, falling silent when he heard something smash from within the room. "What was that?" he asked.

"No one" Meredith covered up, groaning when a man slowly walked towards them in just a robe, his hair clearly not brushed as Kate quickly reached across for Rick's hand, desperate to calm him before he did anything stupid.

"Meredith" the writer shouted, Kate's hand squeezing his before they locked eye, concern covering the brunette's face as she stared at him for a moment. "Kate" he warned.

"Let's go to our hotel" Kate said gently, the writer nodding slowly as he smiled down at his daughter and lifted her into his arms for a moment for another hug.

"Daddy I never want to go anywhere without you again. I don't want to go anywhere without you and I don't want to go anywhere with her" Alexis whispered as the writer nodded and pressed a kiss to her cheek before putting her down on the ground and clutching onto her hand. "Katie did you help daddy find me?" Alexis questioned as Kate nodded slowly and smiled, her fingers running through the six year olds hair as Meredith watched in silence. "I just wanted to go to school Katie".

"I know you did sweetheart and you'll be able to go back to school the moment we're back in New York" Kate promised as she stared at her for a moment before sighing. "Let's get going, we'll go and do something fun tomorrow but you need to get some sleep" she declared, Alexis beaming as she quickly nodded before looking up at her father.

"Can we really do something in Paris daddy?" Alexis questioned.

"I guess we can do something fun Lex, I mean we're stuck here until at least tomorrow night so why not take the opportunity to see some of Paris tomorrow, especially when we have someone with us who speaks the language so well?" Rick smiled as Alexis cheered and began to jump up and down slowly as Meredith watched.

"Richard, I could spend some time with her if you're staying in Paris" she murmured as he shook his head and turned to look at her. He was angry and he wasn't letting her near his daughter, especially since she'd been in the hotel room with another man, ultimately leaving Alexis on her own in a foreign country with no idea about what was going on.

"You just lied to me, took my daughter out of the country to another continent and then have the cheek to ask me about to let you see her when you've been spending time in your hotel suite with another man instead of spending time with our child, especially after you've gone through all of this to spend time with her alone" he shouted before walking away with Alexis, leaving Kate staring at the other woman, the woman who was clearly angry at the brunette.

"You did this! You did this! Why did you have to help him find us? All I wanted was to spend some time with my little girl, my daughter" Meredith shrieked as Kate stared at her for a moment, not knowing what to say. "He won't stay with you, whatever promises he's made to you, Richard Castle wasn't meant to spend his life with one woman! He's a celebrity Detective, he's supposed to be with celebrities, people who understand his world not cops" she hissed as Kate attempted to remain strong, not wanting the other woman to see how she was affecting her. "You think you can work your way into my family and take over my role as Alexis' mother but I'm always going to be her mom and one day she'll see how you're using her to get to Rick and she'll hate you and there goes your chance of being with him" the redhead shouted before slamming the hotel room door shut, leaving Kate staring at the closed door before turning to see Alexis and Rick waiting by the elevator with their hands joined.

XOOXOXOXOXOXOX

Stepping out of the en-suite, Rick sighed as he saw Alexis lying in the single bed in the other room fast asleep, his smile growing as he slowly walked towards the doors in his boxers and t-shirt before entering the room and approaching her. She looked beautiful, fast asleep and peaceful like she always was when she was sleeping! His beautiful baby girl who was quickly maturing into a young woman in front of him! Soon she would be a teenager and then she would be going to college and starting a family of her! Leaning down, Rick sighed as he gently pressed a kiss to her forehead before standing and leaving the room, closing the door behind him before he looked around for the detective.

"Kate?" he asked quietly, loud enough for someone else to hear but not loud enough to wake his daughter up while she slept. Quickly looking across at the balcony doors in silence, Rick sighed as he found himself staring at the brunette who was stood in the pyjamas in her pyjamas, her hair blowing in the breeze as she continued to look out at the city. Approaching her, Rick smiled as he stepped out into the cold, breathing out in shock before he wrapped his arms around, shocked when she tensed up at the touch. "What's wrong?" he asked quietly.

"Nothing, nothing's wrong" she lied obviously, the writer sighing as she slowly turned to look at him, Rick noticing that she was unable to look him in the eyes.

"What's going on with you Kate? We got Alexis back, you helped me get Alexis back, everything's fine and we can get the next flight home and we'll be back in New York before we know it" he whispered as he brushed he hair away from her face before cupping her cheeks, the brunette smiling weakly as she nodded and shut her eyes. "What's upset you detective?"

"Something Meredith said" she admitted as Rick groaned. "I'm not being friends with Alexis just to be with you Rick, she really does mean a lot to me and I love spending time with her! I'm not just pretending and I don't want there to be either the tiniest thought that I might be in your mind" she stated as the writer gently pressed a kiss to her forehead before she buried her face into his neck for a moment, his hands moving to rest on the small of her back.

"I know you'd never do that Kate" he said gently as she remained cuddled in his arms. "I trust you with Alexis; I know that you're not just using her to get to me! I know when people are using my daughter in order to get to me Kate and you're not doing that" he explained as Kate nodded slowly and looked up at him, a small smile starting to decorate her face as he looked across to see the city as lights in the darkness. "Paris really is beautiful Kate" he commented, keeping his arms around her as she turned to see what he was seeing. "Tell me about how you learnt French".

"My mom adored languages and she learnt French as a child from her mom and she taught me and it was our thing, she used to just speak to me in French for days and dad used to get so confused! We used to discuss his Christmas and birthday presents in French right in front of him and he would hate us for it but everyone knew it was something we did" she laughed as Rick nodded and gently played with her hair, creating little plaits in the dark curls. "She taught me all the languages I know" she admitted.

"All?" he questioned.

"I liked languages, I tried to learn as many as I could so I tried everything and really only fully learnt Russian, French and English and gathered a small amount of ability for some others but Russian and French were always my favourite's" she explained as Rick stared at her in amazement. She really was talented! "I came to France a few times with my mom, mainly when my father was working and she was able to get time off! It was amazing to have girl time with her" she admitted as she shut her eyes, enjoying the feel of the breeze against her skin. "I always found Paris the most romantic place in the world, the little alleys, the lights, just the language in general seemed so romantic. I just fell in love with Paris when I first arrived" she mumbled as the writer turned her so she was facing him, her smile growing as she looked at him in amazement. "You must think I'm really odd" she commented.

"Defiantly not, I like learning these unexpected things about you Kate" he declared as she blushed, glad that it was dark so he couldn't see her bright red face. "Some people just see Detective Beckett, the strong and independent woman who is fighting for justice every second of her working day and then some people see Kate, the friend who can joke around and have a good time and then some people get to see Katie, the loyal and desperate daughter" he listed as Kate stared at him. "And occasionally some people are so lucky to see every single bit of you and more" he declared. "I get to see the detective and the friend and the daughter and I get to see all the parts of you that you keep secret, all those little dreams and fantasies you had and those random facts you have" he explained.

"So you don't care that I'm not a celebrity?" she asked quietly as he laughed.

"Kate, I don't want you to be a celebrity, I want you to be the woman who is my best friend and the person I trust! I meet celebrities every day and the majority of them are fake and desperate to be seen with me so they have more publicity and honestly, I don't want that anymore! When I was younger and without Alexis it was amazing but now I'm a father and I want people I can rely on and people I can trust with my daughter and me" he explained passionately as she laughed, falling silent when he took a step towards her, her body pressing against the balcony as she gasped at the feel of the cold railings against her skin.

"Rick" she whispered.

"I'm going to kiss you" he smiled quietly as she bit into her lip nervously. Why did she feel like she was about to receive her first kiss? Why did it feel so dramatic and nerve wracking even when she'd been with more than one person and had received many kisses over the years since she started dating? Leaning down slowly, Rick smiled into the kiss as he slowly moved to press his lips against hers for the first time since they'd met, both of them finally submitting to everything they wanted.

**I'm not too keen on this chapter but I hope you enjoy it! Please review, it means a lot to me and I've been a terrible updater this week but I've been so busy and I'm going away tomorrow night and won't be back till Saturday evening so I would love to hear what you think about this chapter and especially about the fact that our favourite couple have finally kissed. If you don't like the chapter however, I will probably take it down and write another one instead!**


	19. Chapter 19

"Kate" Rick moaned as he felt the mattress move beside him, his eyes slowly opening to see the brunette sitting up and smiling down at him. "Where are you going?" he whispered, noticing that it was still kind of dark outside and therefore she couldn't be awake! She needed to sleep like the rest of them and there was nothing here screaming at her to wake up and do something. "Come back to bed" he moaned, her teeth catching her lips before they smiled as she realised how serious they actually sounded. They sounded like they were in a proper relationship, if someone heard them they could think they were serious, a very serious couple. "Kate, what's going on in that beautiful head of yours?" he asked as he slowly sat up and ran his fingers across her cheek, the brunette relaxing as he brushed away her hair. "What's going on in your head?" he asked, moving closer to her as she gently brushed her lips to his cheek.

"I want to watch the sunrise" she admitted as he nodded slowly and moved closer to her, her body moving to lie down beneath him as he leant over her and smiled as she continued to bite into her lip. "Watch it with me" she whispered as she ran her fingers into his hair, the writer nodded as he quickly pressed a kiss to her forehead. Nodding slowly, Rick smiled as he slowly moved away from her and allowed her to sit up, her smile growing as she climbed off the bed and turned to look at him before taking hold of his hand and pulling him gently off the bed as he laughed and followed her. Stepping onto the balcony, Kate smiled as she felt Rick's arms tightly wrap around her before he pressed a kiss into her hair, his eyes shutting for a moment as she stared at the sky in amazement. Watching in silence as the sun began to rise in front of them; both of them smiled as Kate relaxed back in his arms and sighed. "Did we really kiss last night?" she asked quietly as he laughed.

"Yes" he stated. "Do you regret it?" he asked quietly, deciding not to keep his worry secret as she turned her head to look at him before shaking it. "Then what's the matter?" he asked.

"What are we now?" she asked as the writer slowly turned her so she was facing him properly, her body pressing against the cold bars of the balcony, her arms wrapping around his neck as he stared at her in amazement. "Are we friends or are we more than that?" she asked quietly as he smiled and leant down to kiss her gently, a moan leaving her lips as she opened her mouth to increase the kiss.

"Does that answer your question?" he questioned before leaning across and pressing a kiss to her cheek. "Do you want to be my girlfriend Kate?" he whispered in her ear as she nodded slowly before turning around to finish watching the sunrise, her smile growing as the writer held her close again. She was dating Richard Castle! She was Richard Castle's girlfriend! "We should wake Alexis up soon, she'll want to see as much as possible before we have to go home" he declared as she nodded and sighed, finding his hand before entering the hotel suite with him again. "But I think we should cuddle in bed for a bit longer" he laughed, Kate squealing when he lifted her into his arms and carried her towards the double bed that was in the middle of the room. Resting her on the bed, Rick laughed as she stared up at him before he moved to sit down beside her, her hands holding onto his as he leant down to kiss her again.

"I want to take you the places I went with my mom, I want to show Alexis all the places I was in love with when I was a child" Kate whispered gently as he stared at her for a moment, her smile growing as he ran his fingers across her cheek before kissing her again. She was beautiful, perfect and wonderful and his! His girlfriend, his beautiful wonderful girlfriend! "I haven't been to Paris since she died" she admitted, the writer sighing as he relaxed on his side before holding onto her hand and squeezing it.

"Where did you used to go with your mom Kate?" he asked quietly as she leant across and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "What were the places you fell in love with as a child? Why did you fall in love with them?" he questioned as she stared at him for a moment, not knowing what to say to him. "We don't need to come and see if you're not ready" he whispered as she shook her head and stared at him, determination covering her face.

"I want too Rick" she muttered, leaning across to kiss him gently. "Some places are too special for me to do yet but one day, one day we'll do it together" she promised as he nodded and kissed her again before running his fingers through her cherry scented hair as she stared at him in amazement. Hearing the adjoining door creak open, Kate smiled as she sat up and looked across at the door to see Alexis poking her head through the gap while her smile grew.

"Good morning pumpkin, want to come to join us?" Rick asked as the redhead nodded and ran towards them and jumped onto the bed, sitting down between Kate and Rick who smiled at her as she curled into her father's arms and giggled lightly. "Kate's going to show us around all the cool places in Paris today sweetheart and then we're going to get a flight home" he whispered as Alexis nodded and yawned again, her face burying into Rick's chest as Kate watched in amazement. She loved watching Rick the father! "Why don't you go and get dressed pumpkin?" Rick whispered to his daughter after hugging her for a moment, the brunette watching as Alexis climbed off the bed and disappeared into the other bedroom again. "We should get dressed" he commented as he looked across at the brunette who nodded and sighed, climbing off the bed before she grabbed her bag and approached the en-suite before turning around to look at him and laughing before slipping into the en-suite.

XOOXOXOXOXOOXOXO

"So this is what then Kate?" Rick asked as he entered the park, holding onto Kate's hand while Alexis ran ahead of them in amazement.

"Le jardin des tuileries" she said simply, like French was the first language she'd learnt, as Rick smiled at her, loving how stunning she made French sound.

"You make languages really sexy Katherine Beckett, I think I would actually learn a language if you were my teacher" he stated as she rolled her eyes and walked towards Alexis who was staring at everything around her in amazement.

"What do you think?" Kate asked quietly as the redhead slowly nodded and smiled up at her. "I was around your age when my mom brought me here for the first time" Kate admitted as she felt Alexis take hold of her hand and squeeze it, Kate smiling as she took in the fact that Alexis was trying to make her feel better. "Do you think it's pretty sweetheart?" she questioned as Alexis laughed and cuddled into Kate's side as Rick watched them in silence. "I used to have brunch here with my mom whenever we came to Paris" she explained as she slowly walked down the path with the six year old who continued to cling onto her hand in amazement.

"Kate I'm just going to go and check something, I'll be back in a few minutes" Rick called over as she quickly turned to look at him in confusion.

"We'll stay around here, we'll probably sit down and wait for you Mr Castle" Kate explained as the writer nodded and walked towards her to press a kiss to her forehead before smiling down at Alexis who beamed up at him before watching as her father began to walk away. Sitting down on a bench, Kate watched as Alexis walked around near her, staring at every single statue that was nearby as Kate took in her enthusiasm, the same enthusiasm that used to cover her face when she came here with her mother. Watching as Alexis ran towards her, Kate laughed as Alexis quickly jumped onto the space beside her before Kate laughed and tightly wrapped her arms around the brunette who laughed and ran her fingers through the six year olds hair.

"Tell me about your mommy, only if you want too though?" Alexis whispered as Kate nodded before looking across at the people who were walking around them, going on with their lives while she just sat and thought about her past.

"She was brilliant and clever, one of the best lawyers in New York" Kate laughed as she relaxed back on the bench while Alexis watched her. "She loved to try different things and my love for Chinese food came from her, she adored trying all sorts of things, including languages" Kate admitted as the redhead stared at her for a moment.

"Will you teach me?" Alexis asked.

"What? Languages? You want me to teach you?" Kate questioned as Alexis nodded and smiled at her as Kate slowly began to nod as well. "I would love to teach you Lex, my mom would have loved you because you're so clever and you just want to learn" the brunette smiled, unable to stop herself from beaming as she thought about what Alexis had just asked her. Alexis wanted to learn what Kate had learnt from her mother and that made her happy, that made her more than happy! "My mom adored your dad's books, she was his biggest fan" the brunette laughed.

"Like you?" Alexis asked.

"Before me actually Lex, she was why I started reading your dad's books" Kate admitted as Alexis listened to her in silence, taking in everything that Kate was telling her. "And here comes your father now" Kate commented, noticing that he was holding a bag in his hands now. "And he's been shopping" Kate murmured as the writer approached her with a large smile covering his face as he moved to sit on the other side of her. "What have you been buying?" Kate questioned as the writer beamed.

"I decided to treat you to brunch Kate" he commented as shock covered her face. He hadn't? Watching as he put his hand into the bag, Kate laughed as he slowly removed the mouth-watering pastries as Alexis beamed at the food. "This one is for my beautiful little girl" he smiled as he passed the fruit covered tart to her as the redhead giggled and thanked him before the writer looked up at the other person who was with him. "And this one is for my beautiful girlfriend" he commented as he removed another cake from the bag before holding it out to her. "I don't want to replace the memories you have with your mom but I want you to still enjoy the things you did with her with us" he declared as she stared at him in amazement.

"Thank you Rick" she whispered before taking a bite of it and moaning. "They're just as good as I remember if not better" Kate admitted as the writer continued to watch her in amazement, unable to stop himself from watching as she shut her eyes and enjoyed every moment of her cake while Alexis did the same beside her. "Thank you" Kate whispered, leaning forward to kiss him but stopping herself when Alexis squealed beside her.

"Later" Rick whispered gently as she nodded and moved to look across at Alexis who was watching all the action around them. "Let's continue walking and then we'll go up somewhere really high before getting a cab to the airport" he stated as Kate bit into her lip, realising where the writer was planning on taking them.

"Are we going up the Eiffel Tower dad?" Alexis questioned as she looked at her father who nodded, laughing when the redhead cheered again.

XOOXOXOXOXXOXO

"Why did I agree to walking up here?" Rick moaned as he finally reaching the second floor, Kate laughing as she stared at the exhausted writer. "Seven hundred and four steps Kate, are you trying to kill me?" he moaned, sitting down on the floor as Alexis giggled at her father before approaching the edge to look across at the view. "I think you're both planning to kill me" Rick moaned as Kate rolled her eyes and approached Alexis who was looking out across the city in amazement.

"It's beautiful Katie" Alexis commented as Kate nodded, her hand resting on Alexis' shoulder as she smiled. "It's really beautiful Katie, although it's high, very high" she smiled before turning to look up at the brunette who she watched in amazement for a moment before turning around to look at her father who was still sat on the ground. "Is dad okay?" she asked.

"Yes but I think we'll be getting the elevator down instead of walking, I don't think he could cope doing another seven hundred steps in the same day" Kate joked as she stared at the writer for a moment who quickly turned to look at them before waving gently as they both laughed and walked towards him, the writer slowly standing as his smile grew.

"Lex sweetheart, why don't you go and look around? I need to talk to Katie" Rick explained as the redhead nodded and moved to get another look at the view from another direction. "Come here" he whispered as he approached the edge with her, her fingers laced with his as she smiled and stared across at the view while Rick sighed. "One year from now I'm going to bring you back here Kate" he stated as she slowly turned her head to look at him. "We're going to come back here, just the two of us and we'll do everything that you did with your mom" he whispered as she nodded slowly, relaxing when his arm wrapped around her and brought her close. "We'll see everything and then I'll bring you back up here at night and we'll have a romantic meal, just the two of us".

"You think we'll make it a year Rick?" she asked.

"I think we could do it Kate, I really think we can do it sweetheart" he declared as she smiled and looked out at Paris.

"I've never had a relationship that lasts longer than six months; a year would defiantly be something new for me and something very serious" she explained as Rick laughed and tightly wrapped his arms around her for a moment. "One year exactly?" she asked.

"Next year on this day Katherine Beckett, I'm going to bring you back and it'll be amazing" he stated as she moved into his arms. "After all Paris is the city of romance and I think it would be amazing to see everywhere you fell in love with Kate when you were a child" he commented as she laughed and shut her eyes for a moment as he kept his arms around her for a moment. "I want to know these things Kate, I want to know the places you've visited and mean so much to you. I want to know all the books you've read and fallen in love with. You're the only person in the world I think I could have a proper literary debate with" he declared as she turned in his arms to face him in amazement. "I want us to be in a proper relationship Katie".

"You mean talking and dating and going slow?" she questioned.

"Defiantly Kate" he smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck before shutting her eyes for a moment. "I want us to work Katie, you're not like the other people I've ever been with and I love that about you Kate, you're so different, so unique" he declared as she leant across for a moment before kissing him, unable to stop herself from kissing him as her fingers ran through his hair while Alexis stared at them in amazement. "One year" he whispered.

"I'd like that" she finally muttered before looking across to see Alexis beaming at them. "I think a certain redhead knows about us now" Kate whispered as Rick turned and laughed at the sight of his daughter beaming at them. "What do you think Alexis?" Kate asked.

"It's beautiful Katie" the redhead cheered as Kate nodded in agreement, glancing behind her at the perfect view. "Thank you for showing me Katie, thank you for taking me to all the places that are important to you" Alexis said gratefully as Kate smiled, walking towards her before kneeling down in front of her and pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"I'm just glad that you enjoyed yourself Alexis, I'm so glad that you enjoyed all those places that mean so much to me. Someone needs to show you all the classic things instead of the crazy places your father would have taken you too" Kate teased as she looked across at the writer who pulled a funny face at her for a moment before she looked back at Alexis. "About your dad and me" she began, gasping in shock when Alexis tightly wrapped her arms around the brunette.

"You make daddy really happy, don't hurt him Katie; please don't hurt him when he's so happy now" Alexis whispered in her ear as Kate nodded and held her close for a moment while Rick continued to watch them. "Do we have to go now dad?" Alexis asked as she looked across at her father, the writer watching as Kate looked down at her father's watch before nodding, both Castle's groaning as they realised their short time in Paris was over.

"Please tell me we're getting the elevator down" Rick moaned as Kate stood up and clung onto Alexis' hand.

"Don't worry daddy we'll go down in the elevator" Alexis said simply, a laugh leaving Kate's lips as Rick nodded and approached the elevator, hitting the button for it as he sighed. He strangely didn't want to go back to New York; he wanted to stay here where Kate seemed to glow with happier memories of her mother, a look he hardly ever saw when they were in New York and discussing Johanna Beckett!

XOOXOXOXXOXOXO

"I think she's forgotten all about school" Kate admitted as she looked across to see Alexis fast asleep in the chair beside her father, her head resting against the wall of the plane as she slept peacefully. "I'm glad she had fun, I wanted her to have some fun" the brunette explained, her fingers lacing with Rick's as he nodded and sighed, unable to take his eyes off her as she yawned.

"Get some sleep, you've had a busy day playing tour guide" Rick stated, moving the arm of the seat up so she could move closer. "You can have my lap for a pillow if you want Kate" he declared, a small smile covering her face as she leant across and kissed his lips gently before moving to rest her head on his thighs before her eyes slowly shut, her smile continuing to grow as she felt him play with her hair.

"I fell in love with Paris all over again today" Kate admitted quietly. "Seeing the excitement that covered Alexis' face when she saw all those things that I once saw for the first time just made me feel what I guess my mom must have felt showing me and that was amazing and fantastic and I loved every moment of it" she whispered as Rick began to plait her dark hair as she began to slowly fall asleep.

"Alexis loves to learn and she adores you, mixing the two together is just her perfect afternoon" he declared, leaning down to press a kiss into her cherry scented hair before relaxing back in the chair. "Get some sleep" he whispered as she yawned again, slowly allowing sleep to overtake her.

**So what do you think? Do you like it? **


	20. Chapter 20

"So you disappear off to Paris come back to work for a work and yet you've still not come and tell me any of the dirty details?" Lanie asked as the brunette entered the morgue and stared at her for a moment before laughing. "What have you been doing with your writer?" she questioned as Kate moved to sit on the autopsy table as Lanie grabbed her coffee off her desk before moving to sit beside the brunette who was beaming already before she'd even started talking. "Tell me everything that happened" the ME ordered.

"We went to Paris and we found Alexis and we took her back to our hotel and once she was in bed Rick found me on the balcony and we talked for a moment and then he told me that he was going to kiss me and he did and it was amazing" Kate admitted as Lanie stared at her in amazement. She'd never seen her friend like this before! Kate was beaming over a man! "And the next morning, we watched the sunrise together and we kissed a bit more and I took them to one of the places my mom used to take me as a child and we sat and ate pastries in the park before going up the Eiffel Tower where Rick and I kissed a bit more and he told me that he was going to bring me back again in a year when it was just the two of us" she admitted as Lanie squealed in amazement, Kate laughing as she heard her phone beep.

"Is that lover boy?" Lanie asked as Kate pulled out her cell phone and nodded slowly, opening the text he sent her before laughing and hiding her phone so Lanie couldn't read the message over her shoulder like she usually did. "Kate tell me what he sent, you secretive woman" she moaned as the brunette shook her head and stood up. She missed Rick; she hadn't seen them since they'd arrived in New York because work had called her in immediately for a case that they were starting to finish. It felt weird, missing someone because she hadn't ever had a boyfriend who she really missed when she wasn't with them! "I bet you'll be happy when this case is over Kate" Lanie commented as Kate nodded slowly.

"I just want to go over for dinner or just have proper talk with him, we've been talking on the phone whenever we get the chance but it's not the same" Kate admitted before biting into her lip. Who the hell was she? She sounded like someone clingy, someone who wasn't the Detective who she was supposed to be in her work place. "I kind of really want to go and have dinner with him, I love Alexis and everything but I really just want to spend the evening with Rick once this case is over" Kate admitted as Lanie nodded slowly and stared at her for a moment, taking in how different Kate was acting with this new man in her life. Hearing her phone buzz, Kate sighed as she stared down at it to see Javi's name flashing on the screen. "It's your lover boy" Kate teased as Lanie rolled her eyes and took a sip of the warm liquid. Answering her phone, Kate sighed as she shut her eyes and pressed the object against her ear. "Beckett" she moaned as she waited for Javier to respond.

"We've got him, he's in the cells" he declared as she laughed, realising that the serial killer they'd been chasing was finally where he deserved to be. "You want to come up here and see him?" he asked quickly as she shook her head and smiled.

"I think I just want to go home, is Montgomery giving us time off?" she asked.

"Tonight and tomorrow" Javier stated as she nodded and laughed, realising that she could finally spend some time with the Castle's. "I guess we'll see you in a couple of days Beckett, enjoy your time with writer man, make sure he treats you" Javier declared as she rolled her eyes and laughed before thanking him and putting the phone down to look across at Lanie.

"Go on, I'll see you when you get back at work" Lanie announced as the brunette smiled and quickly wrapped her arms around her friend before thanking her and walking out of the morgue with the largest smile covering her face, her mind just thinking about Rick and Alexis and everything she wanted for that evening.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Hearing a quick knock at his front door, Rick groaned as he climbed off the couch and ran his hands through his hair before yawning and approaching it in silence. Alexis was at school and his mother was still fast asleep so he didn't know who it was as he wasn't expecting anyone, especially since the last thing he'd heard from Kate was that she was working a case and would contact him the moment the bastard was behind bars. Unlocking the door, Rick groaned as he felt someone's arms tightly wrap around before he laughed when Kate looked at him in amazement.

"What are you doing here?" Rick asked in shock, falling silent when she quickly pressed her lips to his before smiling against them. "Not that that wasn't brilliant but aren't you supposed to be catching a killer" he commented as she shook her head and found his hand, entwining her fingers where they felt like they belonged before she slowly entered the apartment.

"Let's go out on a date tonight or something, I want to do something with you tonight. I've missed you Rick" Kate admitted as the writer stared at her for a moment before he nodded and ran her fingers through his hair as they continued to stand in the doorway. "I'm sorry for not being around for the past week, work's been so busy but the bastard's behind bars now and I have tonight and tomorrow off to spend with you" she declared as Rick beamed and kissed her quickly before running his fingers through her hair as she stared at him for a moment.

"Where do you want to go tonight then?" he asked quietly, leading her into the apartment as she shrugged and cuddled into his side. "Mother's in tonight so she can look after Alexis and we can do whatever we want, we could go to the theatre or for dinner or something, I don't care what we do really Kate" he explained as she stared up at him for a moment before running her fingers across his cheek, smiling at the feel of stubble under the smooth skin of her fingers.

"Come to mine, I'll cook" she whispered as shock covered his face. "Just bring a bottle of wine or something and I'll do dinner for you" she declared, cuddling into his side as they moved to sit down on the couch. "We can watch a movie or something afterwards" she added.

"That sounds perfect" he admitted, pressing a kiss into her hair as she slowly shut her eyes. "Tell me about the case" he whispered as she groaned, sometimes hating the fact that he was so interested in her work.

"It was difficult…" she mumbled before explaining every detail to him, wanting to get it all off her chest so she could enjoy her evening with him later, without thinking about the young victims who had lost their lives because one man was angry at the woman who had left him because he was abusive towards her.

XOOXOXOXOXOXOXO

She hadn't cooked in forever and she'd just agreed to cook for her boyfriend! Her boyfriend officially of a week and she was going to cook for him, something she'd never done for Will and something she'd never truly done since her mother died. She loved cooking; she used to adore spending time with her mom cooking because it was such a strange thing for Johanna Beckett to do. She never knew how her mother had the time to cook with her but she always made the space to make a meal with her. Looking up at the clock, Kate groaned as she realised that Rick was going to arrive soon and she was still fussing over a pasta sauce that he used to know off by heart. Hearing a knock at the door, Kate sighed as she slowly moved towards the front door and opened it to see the writer smiling at her in silence with a bottle of wine in his hands.

"I brought wine, like I was told too" he declared, a laugh leaving her lips as she nodded and moved out of the way to give him the space to enter her apartment. "How's the cooking going?" he asked as she shrugged and approached the kitchen again, stress covering her face as she stared down at the meal while the writer laughed and removed his jacket, rolling his shirt sleeves up as he slowly walked towards her.

"What are you doing?" Kate asked when she felt his arms wrap around her waist.

"Helping with dinner Kate" he declared, her eyes rolling as she continued to stir the sauce, the writer laughing when she lifted up a spoonful of the sauce up before holding it up to the writer's lips. "Can I try?" he asked as she nodded, the brunette smiling as he ate the sauce and moaned as the warm liquid filled his mouth. "That's amazing, I want the recipe" he declared as she laughed, staring down at the sauce before she turned the stove off and reached across for the two plates that she already had resting on the side.

"It was my mom's, she got it from her grandmother who got it from one of her relatives, we used to cook all the time when I was a kid" she admitted as Rick nodded slowly before pressing a kiss to the back of her dark hair. "I didn't always live off take-out, I used to cook proper food" she declared, the writer laughing as she turned her head to look at him. "Pasta was always my favourite, I loved trying different types of pasta and different sauces" she stated, serving up the food before looking at the writer who was taking in everything she said and did. "I hope you enjoy it Rick, I really hope you like it" she admitted as Rick looked at her for a moment before kissing her quickly and taking one of the plates away from her.

"I'm sure I'll love it Kate, it looks amazing and smells pretty good too" he declared, walking towards her table while the cop watched him in amazement. How did she deserve him? How did she deserve even half of him? "Alexis has missed you this week" he muttered as he sat down and watched as she sat in the seat opposite him. "But she'll be excited to see you tomorrow, she'll want you to spend the whole day with us" he declared as Kate nodded and took a bite of her pasta, smiling when she remembered everything about it that she loved.

"I've never cooked for anyone before" she blurted out as shock covered the writer's face. "I gave up cooking properly when my mom died" she admitted, Rick nodding slowly as he took in everything that that one statement had told him. Kate Beckett was letting him into her life slowly and she trusted him enough to do something that she hadn't done in a while and that made him proud of her, of them. She really was stronger than she occasionally seemed!

"Alexis told everyone at school about her adventure in Paris, her teacher wasn't impressed she'd missed school for it but Alexis quickly explained everything to her" Rick smiled as Kate laughed, trying to imagine what the six year old had said in order to explain why she hadn't been in school. It would surely sound unrealistic, the six year old saying that her mother had 'kidnapped' her and taken her to Paris. "She didn't believe her to start with so she called me and laughed when I told her that everything Alexis had said had been the truth".

"I bet Alexis has already caught up on everything" Kate commented as Rick nodded and watched her for a moment. "She's a clever little girl".

"Doesn't take after me then" he muttered as Kate shook her head and stared at him in silence for a moment.

"I think she does, she has your passion for everything Rick. The way you talk about Literature is the way Alexis talks about school and life and all her subjects" the brunette admitted as he watched her in amazement. "Alexis might act slightly more mature than you at times Rick but you still have the same childish excitement over things that other people didn't really appreciate" Kate listed, the writer smiling as he realised Kate was making all those worries disappear. "She's a fantastic little girl and you're a fantastic man, you two work".

"We have to work, she's my daughter" he commented as Kate nodded slowly and laughed.

"I think you're really lucky, to have a relationship like that with someone. A relationship that can never truly be destroyed because you helped make that person, you're half the reason they're on the planet" the cop admitted as he nodded, his smile continuing to grow as she thought about everything.

"I just remember seeing Alexis for the first time! She had the tiniest amount of red hair and she was screaming and I was in shock for a moment because there was this screaming baby being passed to me and then all of a sudden it hit me that I was a daddy and this creature, this tiny human being was my beautiful baby girl, the one I had been waiting and fighting for for months" he stated, her head nodding as she listened to his story. "I knew the then that Alexis was the best thing that was ever going to happen to me".

"Keep telling me about it, about having a new born in your life" she begged as she took hold of his hand and squeezed it.

"It's absolutely terrifying and I would have loved to have had someone to really share it with but it was the most amazing thing that can ever happen to a person" he explained as she nodded, the two of them finishing their meals in silence for a moment before Kate stood up and removed their plates, placing them in the sink before she poured two glasses of wine and moved towards the couch, the writer joining her as she cuddled up against him. "When we brought Alexis home from the hospital my mother was waiting for us. She'd been shocked when I told her that Meredith was pregnant but she was so excited and she was sat on the couch waiting for us and she cried when she saw Alexis for the first time. She hadn't been able to come to the hospital because she was on tour but she was there for when we came home for the first time! I had to force her to let Alexis go" he laughed as Kate smirked, taking a sip of the red liquid before she sighed.

"Alexis sounds like she fit right into your family" Kate commented.

"It was kind of like that, it was kind of like the Rodgers, Castle family was missing something and Alexis just filled that gap. She's the mature clever one, she'll be something brilliant one day and she'll be able to do whatever she wants because she'll work for it! Alexis won't be one of those girls who wants me to give her money and pay for things, she'll work for everything she wants" Rick said enthusiastically as Kate nodded, understanding everything he was saying. "I'm never going to force anything on her, she could be a doctor or she could be an actress, I just want her to be happy".

"That's a good thing to want Rick" Kate muttered before leaning up to kiss him.

"No one ever wants to talk about Alexis on a date" Rick admitted against her lips.

"Then they never really wanted to be with you Rick, they only wanted the writer and not the person beneath all the words" she explained gently, moaning into his mouth when he began to kiss her again, both of them clinging onto their wine glasses to avoid spilling them while they deepened their kiss. "I don't want the money or the fame, I just want you and your amazing family" she whispered as he nodded, knowing for once that he'd met a woman who wasn't lying to him.

**Just a small chapter but I wanted to get something up! I hope you enjoy this and please review, it means so much to me! **


	21. Chapter 21

"Stop it, I'm running late for work and it's your fault for staying over when I told you to go home and sleep in your own bed so I wouldn't wake you up" she declared as she turned her head to look at the man whose arms were tightly wrapped around her while he continued to kiss her neck, a laugh leaving her lips as she relaxed back in his arms and shut her eyes, allowing herself to enjoy the touch of his lips against her skin while she hummed as he continued to deepen the kiss. "Don't you dare leave a mark Richard Castle, Lanie and the guys would have a field day if I walked into work with a hickey" she warned as he groaned against her skin.

"Are you still coming tonight Katie?" Rick asked quietly as she looked up at him in amazement before turning in his arms to face him. "I'd love you to be there Kate, you'll make the whole thing much more entertaining" he commented as she rolled her eyes and ran her fingers through his short hair before sighing and staring up at him. Did she really want to go to a book launch where the writer would be discussing his newest book and talking to perfect people while she was left on her own? "And I know that you have some really sexy dresses in that wardrobe that would make any woman jealous" he declared as she rolled her eyes. "Come on you in a dress, me in a tux, we'll be the sexiest couple in the building".

"Rick I don't want them knowing that we're a couple yet" she whispered as he stared at her, slightly concerned about what this meant for them. "It's not that I'm ashamed of you Rick but I don't want the whole world knowing yet, I want my dad to know from me when he gets out of rehab, I don't want him finding out from the papers where they write some sleazy article about us" she explained as he nodded and pressed a kiss to her forehead, understanding everything she was saying. "It was okay when we weren't part of a relationship Rick but now we are I don't want to lie to anyone about this when they ask me about this" she declared as the writer nodded slowly and remained silent. "But I'll try and get out of work and come but don't try and wait for me, I wouldn't want you to be late because of me" she explained as he nodded and kissed her quickly before stepping away from her in silence.

"You will try to come along?" he asked as she nodded and laced her fingers with his before sighing and staring at him. "I should get home, Alexis will want breakfast and she'll need to get to school and I really shouldn't have stayed last night Detective" he admitted as she laughed and tightly wrapped her arms around him.

"I told you that but you refused to go home, you wanted to cuddle in bed with me" she stated as the writer shrugged.

"Who can resist cuddling with a beautiful brunette in her pyjamas?" he asked as she rolled her eyes and moved towards him before pressing another kiss to his lips. "I need to go home so stop being irresistible" he ordered as she laughed and moved away from him again to see the writer approaching his jacket that was resting against her couch. She couldn't blame him for staying over though! They hadn't seen each other since their dinner date a week ago because her case had been so crazy and they'd both been excited about seeing each other than she'd moaned when it had started to get late and the idea of him leaving had begun to take over their evening. "I'll see you tonight if you can make it" he declared, a small smile covering her face as she watched him leave the apartment after a few moments of silence. She needed to leave for work, she was running late and she needed to leave now even though she couldn't stop herself from smiling at the fact that she'd spent the night and this morning cuddled up with her writer boyfriend in her bed.

XOXOOXXOXOXOO

"Aren't you supposed to be going to Rick's event in twenty minutes?" Lanie asked as the brunette entered the morgue and slowly nodded, realising that it was unlikely that she was going to make it to the event she'd secretly wanted to go too. She had been nervous that morning, thinking about the press and everything but Rick was her best friend and her boyfriend and she needed to support him in his career like he supported her! "You could still make it if you left now" the ME commented as Kate sighed and watched as her friend walked over to the files to collect the results of her latest autopsy.

"I told him I would go if I could make it, I didn't promise him" Kate said quietly, trying to calm them both down! Of course she wanted to go! Of course she wanted to dress up and look beautiful and listen as Rick read out an extract of his book and gave his speech about how lucky he was and how this book was going to be another best seller. "Anyway, I would need longer than twenty minutes to get ready! I still need to choose a dress and have a shower and do my hair and make-up and get there Lanie" she explained as someone knocked on the door, both women turning to see one of Lanie's colleagues entering the room.

"Detective Beckett there's a woman outside with a parcel for you" he declared as confusion covered Kate's face before she walked out of the room to see a smartly dressed woman holding onto a box.

"Hi, I was told you had a parcel for me" Kate explained as the woman nodded and held the box out to her, confusion covering her face as the woman laughed.

"Mr Castle was extremely specific on what you would like Detective" the blonde woman declared as shock covered Kate's face before she removed the lid of the white box and stared down at the black material that was resting inside. He'd bought her a dress! Richard Castle had bought her a dress! Finding a note folded inside, Kate slowly sat down as the woman excused herself and left the morgue while Kate rested the box on her lap while staring at the note in amazement.

_I decided sexy wasn't right for tonight, I think you want to be as extraordinary as always! _

"So what is it?" Lanie asked, walking out of the autopsy room to see her friend slowly standing and lifting the black dress out of the box before holding it against her body as her smile grew. "Oh wow, that is so you" Lanie stated as Kate nodded and laughed, looking across at the ME in amazement. "You have to keep this one" she declared. "That man knows you and I don't just mean a little bit, he knows you so well" the ME smiled before staring at her as Kate continued to hold to stare down at the dress she was holding to her body. "Go and get dressed, Esposito and Ryan can cover you tonight" she smiled as Kate nodded.

"Can I use your showers down here?" Kate asked as the ME nodded and watched as Kate laughed and walked towards the changing rooms, knowing she was lucky to have friends like Lanie. Showering quickly, Kate sighed as she dried her body and slipped into the dress before hearing a knock at the door and turning to see the ME walking in. "What do you think?" the brunette asked nervously as Lanie laughed and nodded.

"You look absolutely stunning Kate" Lanie smiled as Kate ran her hands across the material. "Now you do make up and I'll do your hair?" she squealed, removing hair pins and numerous other things from her bag as Kate laughed and nodded, knowing that this would make her friend happy for the rest of the week.

XOXOXOXOXOXXO

"Richard she isn't coming so get up here and do your job" Paula hissed as the writer groaned and stared across at the microphone and then out at the crowd of people who were waiting for him to speak. Watching as Gina walked past him, Rick groaned as he stared at the blonde who was walking towards the stage with a fake smile covering her perfectly made up face. Why had he dated her? She was different to Kate and Kate seemed so natural for him to be in a relationship with! It made him realise that it was a miracle that him and Gina had lasted as long as they actually had.

"Everyone, the man of the hour, Mr Richard Castle" Gina beamed before clapping her hands around her champagne glass, the crowd starting as Rick slowly walked out and beamed at them all, looking around the room to see whether Kate had arrived while he'd been pulled back by Paula. Her case was probably taking over and she couldn't make it even though he'd hoped her dress had motivated her to come along for an hour or so.

"Hi, thank you for coming" Rick beamed as he stared at the mainly female filled crowd. Was this really all his career was? Smiling in front of crowds of women and cameras while spending his time when he could be bothered writing books that people adored, that Kate adored. "I guess I should say something about the book" he commented, a small amount of laughter filling the room before he looked across to see someone entering the room. Kate! Kate was here and she was dressed in the outfit he'd chosen for her and she looked amazing! "I love writing my books and I love knowing that you all adore them, some more than others" he laughed as Kate shook her head slowly at him while he spoke.

"And everyone looks who's just walked in, the woman who I'm sure inspires our favourite writer to write those passionate sex scenes, Rick's newest girlfriend, Detective Katherine Beckett" Gina cheered before taking another sip of her champagne as shock covered Rick's face. Shit! Shit, he was going to be killed! Kate was never going to talk to him again. "She's the one in black at the back of the room, don't be scared Katherine, you have to get used to this because you're the newest woman in Rick's life" she cheered as everyone slowly turned to look at the brunette who continued to stare across at the writer. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen!

**So it's short but I hope you like it or whatever but please review! It means so much to me to know what you think about the chapter and your responses really do make me review faster. **


	22. Chapter 22

"Stay right where you are Gina Cowell" Rick shouted as he turned and looked at the blonde woman who was slowly making her way towards the exit, anger covering his face as he approached her and stared down at the woman who continued to cling onto her champagne glass like it was going to save her from everything. "What the hell gives you the right to tell everyone about Kate? About a relationship that you didn't even know was true or not?" he hissed at her as she shrugged and took another sip of the alcoholic substance that had got them into this situation in the first place. "If this is about me dumping you Gina, that had nothing to do with Kate, you're treatment of Alexis is why we're over and you need to get over that because we're never are going to be a couple" he declared, knowing that Paula was probably watching and waiting for the right moment to intervene.

"You won't stay with her Rick and you're a celebrity, everyone needs to know about her because it comes with the role of being a bestseller. Richard Castle, the crime novelist and his detective girlfriend! Imagine how many books are going to sell because of this and how popular you're going to become all because you've chosen to sleep with a police officer? Tomorrow you're going to be on the front of every single paper in New York and people are going to be talking about you and Kate" she laughed as the writer stared at her. "And the pressure will soon be too much for her Rick. She's not made for our world, she'll snap and leave you and you'll be left to find another model or actress or publisher to make you feel better about yourself" she hissed as the writer took a step away from her to stop himself from doing anything he would regret. "She won't stay with you Rick, she's not your type" Gina laughed before walking out of the door and disappearing, the writer shutting his eyes as he fell silent. Was she right? Was this going to panic Kate so much that she would leave him and end the relationship he adored so much? Hearing a door creak open after a few moments, Rick sighed as he remained still and silent for a moment, not caring about what had just walked in.

"He's in here Detective Beckett" a man said as Rick quickly opened his eyes and turned his head to see Kate standing nervously in the doorway with one of the waiters beside her, the brunette thanking the younger man before he disappeared from sight, closing the door behind him as Kate began to bite into her bottom lip, not knowing what to say to her clearly nervous boyfriend.

"I'm so sorry" Rick blurted out as he walked towards her and wrapped his arms around her as she remained perfectly still. "She's been drinking and she was trying to sell more books and she's horrid and if she doesn't apologise I'll fire her" he declared, tears filling his eyes as Kate ran her fingers across his cheeks, not knowing what to say to him. "You look so beautiful Kate, you look so wonderful" he whispered, staring down at the black strapless dress he'd chosen for her that flattered her figure to perfection. "I wanted you to have an amazing evening where you were spoilt and just enjoyed yourself and had the night off work but it's been completely ruined and now the whole of New York is going to know about us and that was almost the reason why you didn't come and I forced you and you were right Kate and…"

"And I don't care" she stated as shock covered his face. "Of course I'm going to want to call my dad as early as possible but Rick, this relationship is important to me and I'm not going to throw away because some people need their stupid gossip fix" she declared as he continued to watch her in amazement. Was she really saying this? "The people who mean the most to us know about us already and that's all that should matter" she said as he nodded and leant down to kiss her. "You look so handsome" she whispered against his lips as her fingers played with the lapels of his jacket, her smile growing when his lips found hers again. "I'm scared Rick, I'm terrified about what this means but I'm not going to destroy our relationship over it, however much I want to run away and hide right now" she smiled as he hugged her, a small laugh leaving her lips as he clung onto her.

"She said you wouldn't be able to cope with the gossip and the press" he whispered as she sighed.

"Gina doesn't know how strong I am Rick" she replied simply before staring at him. "Why don't you go and read that extract of your book and then we'll go back to the loft?" she suggested as he raised his eyebrows. "Alexis should still be awake and you can read her bedtime story to her and then we'll do watch a movie or something" she said as he nodded again. She really couldn't be taking it this well, could she?

"We're going to talk about this though aren't we?" he asked as she nodded and watched as he grabbed his copy of the book, his smile growing as he looked at her. "Kate" he whispered as she stared at him before nodding again and watching until he disappeared from sight to read the latest extract to the large crowd of press who were hovering for more information.

"He likes you" Paula commented as Kate turned to look around at the other woman who was in the room. "I've never seen him so defensive about anyone but Alexis and he clearly wants to be with you" she stated as Kate bit into her bottom lip. "Don't hurt him, it's time he met someone who he deserved to be with but don't tell him I said that" Paula laughed as Kate nodded slowly.

"I'm sorry, I don't know you" Kate admitted as the dark haired woman shrugged.

"Paula, Rick's agent and you must be Detective Kate Beckett, Rick's mentioned you once or twice" she declared as Kate stared at her. "He hasn't mentioned dating, that came as a shock to me when Gina announced that but he tells us that Alexis absolutely adores you" she laughed as Kate shrugged and moved to sit down, her fingers running across the black material as she listened to Rick's voice for a moment as he read in the other room. "You're a lucky woman Detective".

"Thank you" Kate smiled, waiting patiently for the writer to reappear so they could leave. Hearing the door open that Rick had left out of, Kate quickly stood up and watched as the writer walked out and loosened his tie before approaching her and passing her the book.

"This is for you" he stated as she stared down at it in amazement, her smile growing as she ran her fingers across the spine of the book. "I know you've been meaning to order a copy and I know it's not brand new but…" he began, falling silent when she slowly opened the page and stared at the inscription at the front that he'd written beside the dedication clearly a few moments ago.

_To the most extraordinary woman in the world because I know we're going to make it now! _

"I love it" Kate beamed before kissing him for a brief second. "Let's go back to the loft Mr Castle" she smiled as she laced her fingers with his and followed him out of the room, smiling across at Paula when Rick said goodnight to her. Who cared if this whole night was supposed to be about him and his newest book? He got to go home with the most amazing woman in the world and that's all that mattered to him!

XOXOXOXOXOXO

"Even though I love dressed up Beckett, I kind of like this one too" Rick smiled from the couch as Kate walked towards him from his bedroom in one of his t-shirts and a pair of his sweats, her smile growing as she sat down beside him and stared at him. "There is one thing I've always dreamt of doing" he admitted as confusion covered her face. Remaining still as the writer moved towards her, Kate smiled as his hands moved towards her pinned back hair before his fingers started to remove the clips, her dark curls falling around his fingers as smiles started to cover their faces. "I love your hair".

"Really?" she smiled as he nodded and leant forward, her body moving back against the couch as he leant over her and locked eyes with her before she leant up to kiss him, her legs moving around his waist as he deepened the kiss. "God" she moaned as he lips moved towards her neck and started to press against her skin. "We shouldn't do this here, what if Alexis wakes up or your mom comes down?" she asked quietly as she ran her fingers through his hair while her eyes slowly shut.

"Why did you have to mention my mother Kate?" he moaned, a laugh leaving her lips as he stopped kissing her neck. "No one's going to come downstairs and anyway it's not like we're having sex, we're just making out".

"Either way, it's not something I want your mother or daughter seeing" she stated, loosening her legs from around him as the writer groaned and stared at her as she opened her eyes. "I'm not used to people's parents or children being around and the whole idea of being caught scares me, things like that should be private, just for us only".

"You're so cute sometimes Kate, with your little worries" he commented as she rolled her eyes and moved to sit up, the writer groaning as he moved away from her to give her the space she needed. "So making out needs to be private?" he asked as she nodded and found his hand, squeezing it gently as she relaxed back into the corner of the couch. "Can we talk about what happened tonight then?"

"I guess so" she sighed, knowing that she really didn't want too.

"The press is always going to be a part of our relationship Kate and for the next couple of days things are going to be difficult but I want this to work and I want us to fight all the pressure they're going to put on us because I want to make it to Paris" he declared as she nodded slowly. "They'll want to know all about you and they'll feel like their closing in around you but Kate, you're stronger than them and you don't have to answer their questions" he stated as she stared at him for a moment.

"What do I do about the precinct? What if I'm out on a case and the press are hovering around my crime scene Rick?" she asked.

"I don't know" he admitted. "But we'll think of something Kate, something that will stop them from getting in the way of your job" he promised, his arm wrapping around her as he pulled her into his side. "It's late want to go to bed?" he asked as she nodded slowly, knowing that the amount of time she spent in bed with him was starting to get ridiculous!

"Will you read your book to me?" she questioned as he shrugged. "Just the first couple of chapters" she insisted as they stood up and walked towards his bedroom, neither of them caring about what tomorrow would bring.

**I didn't want to make the chapter to angsty and anyway, Kate clearly cares about Rick and although she's going to be nervous of the press hanging around I think it's not going to be the end of her relationship with Rick because she's stronger than that! Hopefully you enjoyed the chapter and I will try and update again soon! **


	23. Chapter 23

"I was thinking that I could take you somewhere this weekend Miss Beckett," Rick commented down the phone as he continued to make his daughter's usual breakfast, a laugh leaving Kate's lips down the line as he smiled and passed the bowl of cereal to Alexis, the phone resting between his ear and shoulder. "Come on, you and me in the Hampton's for the weekend, we could go and see your dad as well and explain everything to him seeing that you couldn't get through when you called him when the papers came out," he explained as Kate bit into her lip and stared out across the precinct to see Ryan and Esposito throwing a ball at each other.

"You want to take me to see my dad Rick?" she asked quietly, amazed that he was planning on doing that for her.

"Yes, I want to take you to see your dad Kate because I know you miss him, I know you miss your dad Kate and that's okay and it'll be the weekend so we'll be able to see him and we can just enjoy ourselves," he explained as she shut her eyes and relaxed back, thinking about the whole prospect of going to the Hampton's with her boyfriend for the weekend.

"Want to have tomorrow and Monday as well? I have some days off hanging around at the moment that my boss wants me to take," she admitted.

"You really want to spend that much time with me Detective?" he asked as she laughed and thought about it for a moment. "I think it sounds good, three to four days of just you and me on the beach in our bathing suits," he commented as she bit into her lip, turning her chair away so Ryan and Esposito couldn't see the blush that was starting to cover her face. "And now Alexis is giving me this massive glare," he commented, a laugh leaving Kate's lips as Rick beamed at his daughter who rolled her eyes and continued to eat her breakfast. "She just did a you Kate" he declared.

"A what?" both Kate and Alexis asked in confusion as the writer continued to stare at his daughter.

"She's rolling her eyes at me Beckett," he moaned as Kate laughed while Alexis climbed off her chair and moved to grab her bag. "Look I've got to go now, someone's giving me the evil I've got to go to school glare," he explained as Kate groaned. She didn't want to get off the phone to him, she wanted to talk to him for the rest of the day and hear him laugh and hear him tell her stupid stories that just made her smile. "Kate," he whispered.

"You'll call once you've dropped her off?" she asked quietly, embarrassed to be asking her boyfriend to call her back.

"You okay Kate?" he asked concerned, her head slowly nodding as she relaxed back in her chair. "Kate, are you still there?"

"Will you bring lunch today Rick? We haven't got a case and the boys are being silly and I could do with someone to talk too for an hour or two," she stated as the writer laughed.

"I'd love to bring you and your fellow detective's lunch," he declared as she nodded in amazement, already excited about him coming over to see her. "Why don't you go and talk to Montgomery about getting the weekend off and I'll see you at lunch time?" he suggested as she nodded. "Look I really need to go now but I'll see you at lunch time, I will be there at one o'clock with lots of lovely food," he promised as she sighed and nodded again.

"Yeah I'll see you at lunch Rick," she mumbled before they hung up and Kate stood up, smiling across at Ryan and Esposito before quickly approaching Roy's office, her hand knocking on his door as she smiled and thought about how tomorrow she could be in the Hampton's with her boyfriend for a long weekend.

XOOXOXOXXOXO

"Beckett lunch has arrived," Esposito called out as Kate looked up from her pile of paperwork and smiled across at the writer who was standing by the two detectives who were beaming at him as he held onto the bags of Chinese take-out that both Kevin and Javier were clearly desperate for. "Come on Beckett, let's go and eat," Javier smiled as the brunette moved away from her desk before approaching him and taking one of the bags from him and passing it to Javier, Rick doing the same to Kevin before the two detective's walked away into the break room.

"Thanks for coming," Kate smiled as she looked at Rick who shrugged and beamed at her, knowing that he'd missed her just like she'd missed him. "Montgomery gave me the days off, he was amazed when I asked actually, he never thought I'd get round to taking a personal day, let alone two," she declared as the writer laughed and looked across at the Captain who was sat in his office smiling at them. "Who's going to look after Alexis?" she asked quickly.

"My mother, she's wanted to have a girly weekend for weeks and this was the perfect opportunity to make her happy and to enjoy myself in the process," he admitted as she nodded and smiled. "We should go and eat because they won't leave any by the looks of it," he declared, the detective laughing as she turned her head to see Ryan and Esposito already digging into their food. Entering the break room, Kate sighed as she sat down and watched as Rick moved to sit beside her, the two of them grabbing some food as the two detectives laughed at him.

"So we hear that you're taking a couple of personal days Detective I'll never stop working Beckett?" Ryan commented as Javier nodded, Kate groaning as she looked across at her boyfriend, who was trying not to laugh, before staring down at her lunch. "So where are you two jetting off too? You've done Paris so what's next?" he asked quickly as Kate shut her eyes for a second.

"Paris was for Alexis," Kate stated defensively. "It wasn't a romantic getaway and this weekend is so I can spend some time with my dad and Rick has a home near where my father is so he's coming up with me, it's nothing like you two want to believe it is or what the press want it to be like so stop trying to make gossip out of everything," Kate explained as the two men slowly nodded and began to eat their meals again.

"Sorry Beckett," Ryan whispered.

"Yeah sorry Beckett," Javier mumbled as she nodded and found Rick's hand underneath the table, hers squeezing his as they smiled across at each other, just happy to be together again. Finishing their meals in a comfortable silence, Kate sighed as she relaxed back in her chair and stared at her boyfriend for a moment before running her fingers through her hair and leaning across to kiss his cheek, both detectives groaning before excusing themselves and leaving the break room with their meals, slamming the door behind them before Kate leant across and kissed the writer, glad that the blinds had been closed when they'd entered the room earlier.

"I think you've missed me Detective Beckett," he commented against her lips as she nodded and ran her fingers through his hair as she moved closer to him. "I can't wait to show you my home in the Hampton's, you're going to love it," he declared as she bit into her lip, her excitement building at the prospect of one, going away to the Hamptons and two, having a four day holiday with her boyfriend. "There's this amazing bedroom, it's not the master bedroom but I think you'll like this one more, it has this massive window next to the bed which looks out on the sea, it's amazing," he declared as she smiled.

"It sounds beautiful Rick," she admitted, playing with his hair as he stared at her. "I think I like the sound of the bedroom looking out on the sea,".

"Well then, that room will be ours," he promised, leaning in to kiss her again before a knock at the door disrupted them. "They have the worst sense of timing," he declared, her smile growing as she looked across at the door and watched as Javier walked in.

"Montgomery says you should take the rest of the day off, there's no point you waiting around when you won't be working on any cases," the detective admitted as Kate nodded and smiled at the writer. "I guess we'll see you on Tuesday Beckett," Javier commented as Kate nodded again and stood up.

"You'll definitely see me on Tuesday Javi," she promised before resting her hands on the writer's shoulder. "If we leave now, I can pack a bag and stay at yours tonight, we can leave earlier tomorrow and be in the Hampton's longer," she suggested as Rick stood up and stared at her in excitement, a laugh leaving both their lips as she quickly walked out of the room and towards her desk where she collected her jacket and purse. "Call me if you need anything but I'm not coming back for any cases," Kate declared as both men nodded and watched as she cuddled into the writer's side and walked towards the elevator, not caring about who saw them together. They'd been on the front page of the papers and she'd come into work with people teasing her and asking questions and she'd gotten through that because her relationship was worth it, because Rick was worth it!

"Are you excited about seeing your dad again?" he asked as they stood alone in the metal box, their fingers entwined as Kate nodded again.

"Definitely," the brunette smiled as she rested against him for a second, her eyes shutting as she enjoyed the warmth of her body. "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that he's in rehab and getting better but I miss him, I miss him so much," Kate admitted as Rick leant down and kissed her gently.

"He's your dad Kate, he's the only family you've really got and I don't blame you for missing him," he admitted as she nodded slowly. She did miss her dad! It had been nearly two months since he'd gone to rehab and she missed him, she missed talking to him! However she didn't miss her drunken father and she was excited to have the man she'd grown up with back again. "Let's go and pack you some clothes and a skimpy bathing suit," he commented as she rolled her eyes, knowing that he was excited about seeing her in a bikini for the first time.

XOXOXOXOXOXO

"Katie," Alexis squealed as she ran into the apartment and over to the brunette who was sat on the couch with the largest smile on her face. Lifting Alexis onto the couch, Kate smiled as she wrapped her arms around the writer's daughter and hugged her while pressing a kiss into her red hair. "What are you doing here?" the six years old questioned as Kate shrugged and looked at her. She really was like her father when it came to excitement levels!

"I missed you and I missed your daddy and I thought I should spend the evening with you before I stole your daddy away for the weekend and leave you to have girly times with your gram," Kate admitted, tickling Alexis' side as the little girl giggled and nodded enthusiastically at the whole plan that Kate had just said, Rick beaming from the kitchen as he watched the interaction. "You don't mind me stealing your dad away do you?" Kate asked quietly as Alexis cuddled into her side and shook her head.

"I think you and daddy are cute," Alexis admitted as Kate smiled and ran her fingers through the six year olds hair. "I think you're allowed to steal him sometimes Katie but you have to bring him back," Alexis declared as Kate quickly nodded.

"Don't worry sweetheart, I don't think I could cope with your dad for long periods of time," Kate whispered before pressing a kiss to Alexis' forehead. "Want to watch some girly movies tonight?" the brunette questioned as the young girl squealed in excitement.

"What about what I want?" Rick asked.

"You get a whole weekend of what you want," Kate called over as he shrugged and nodded, her eyes rolling as Alexis climbed off the couch. "Where are you going Lex?" Kate questioned as the redhead beamed.

"To get into my pyjamas so we can watch movies properly," she admitted as Kate watched her run up the stairs, singing to herself as Rick walked over and leant down to kiss his girlfriend.

"I might go and get in my pyjamas too, I want this to be a proper movie night with my favourite redhead," she whispered, brushing her lips against his again as he began to nod, her smile growing as she stared up at him.

"Don't let my mother hear you say that," he joked as Kate nodded and stood up. "Get changed in my room, I know that's what you want," he nodded as she thanked him and crept towards the bedroom and disappeared from sight, the writer laughing as his daughter quickly ran towards him and wrapped her arms around his hips. "Can I help you crazy child?" he asked, lifting her into his arms as she shook her head and quickly pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Are you excited about Katie being here?" he asked.

"I love Katie being here daddy," she admitted as Rick beamed and nodded. "She makes you really happy and I love it when you're happy daddy," she squealed before wiggling in his arms, attempting desperately to get out of his hold while Kate walked out of bedroom to see the two of them laughing and smiling at each other. "Katie," Alexis laughed when she finally spotted the beaming brunette.

"Hey pumpkin, what are you doing?" she asked, smiling when Rick put the six year old down and the little girl ran towards her. "Why don't you go and choose some movies?" Kate suggested as Alexis nodded and ran over to the cupboard where all the films were hidden, Kate's smile growing as the writer walked towards her and quickly kissed her. "Stop it," Kate warned.

"Never," he smiled, leaning in to kiss her neck gently as she groaned and shut her eyes. "We're spending four days in the Hampton's, alone, with minimal clothing," he declared as she chuckled and opened her eyes to look at him.

"Is that your plan? Take me to your home and show me around your private beach and then try and get into my pants?" she asked as he shrugged before laughing when she kissed him again. "I think it sounds like a good plan Mr Castle," she admitted as shock covered his face.

"You mean?" he questioned as she shrugged and moved towards the couch, not saying anything else as she sat down next to his daughter and cuddled the six year old close to her. "You're a tease Katherine Beckett, an absolute tease," he stated as she laughed, her concentration starting to focus on the television screen so she didn't disrupt the little girl who was cuddled in her arms and remained there for two hours until she was fast asleep and her father took her away to bed. "Kate are you coming to bed?" Rick asked as he walked down the stairs later that evening and looked at the brunette who was curled up on the couch with a small smile covering her face as she nodded and squealed when he lifted her into his arms. "You're almost asleep already," he laughed.

"It's been a long and very boring day," she yawned as she buried her head into his neck. "I'm looking forward to not doing anything for four days," she admitted as he carried her into his bedroom and rested her on the bed, her smile growing as she watched him disappear into the en-suite and reappear a few moments later in his pyjamas, her smile large as he stared at her in amazement. She really was stunning. "I haven't been to the beach in years,".

"Well that's going to change tomorrow," he beamed before sitting down next to her and pulling the duvet over their bodies, happy when Kate cuddled into his side. "You're a cuddler Miss Beckett," he commented as she laughed.

"I never used to be," she admitted as she shut her eyes. "You're bad for me Mr Castle, very bad," she yawned before shutting her eyes, just wanting to fall asleep now in his warm arms.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

"Promise you'll make sure daddy doesn't do anything silly," Alexis declared as she walked with Kate towards the front door, the brunette laughing as she nodded and leant down to press a kiss into Alexis' hair. "And have lots of fun Katie, you have to play on the beach and go into town and do all the fun stuff," the redhead began to blurt out as Kate laughed and nodded again, unable to stop herself from smiling at the six year old who was clearly excited about going to school and the fact that Kate was going to their Hampton house. "Does this mean you and daddy are really serious?" she asked after a few moments of silence.

"How do you mean?" Kate questioned as she sat down on the floor, knowing they'd be waiting a while when she heard Rick shout a curse word from the bedroom before shouting another one at the realisation of what he'd just said.

"Is your relationship with daddy serious now? You're going on holiday with him and people only go on holidays if they're serious about each other," Alexis stated as she sat down beside Kate and fell silent as she held her close for a moment.

"I'm really serious about your daddy sweetheart, I promise," Kate smiled as Alexis looked up at her. "I'm not just going to leave him one day, he means a lot to me and so do you Alexis, you're really important to me as well," she whispered as Alexis rested against her in silence, her smile growing as Rick ran down the stairs with a bag thrown over his shoulder and a large smile covering his face as he approached them and unlocked the door.

"Ready to go?" he asked as both Kate and Alexis nodded and stood up, leaving the apartment in silence as the writer sighed and locked the door, trying to control the excitement that was building up inside him! Four whole days of Katherine Beckett, he finally got to spend some time with Kate without worrying about the rest of the world.

XOXOOXOOXXOX

"You asleep?" Rick asked as he looked across at the woman who was curled up in the passenger seat. "Kate? Are you awake in there?" he asked, parking the car before leaning across and poking her, growing when she hit him and laughed under her breath. "That was mean" he moaned, running his hand across his arm where she'd hit him.

"Sorry," she yawned as she opened her eyes and stared out of the window in shock. "You own that?" she asked as the writer nodded and smiled at her as shock turned into amazement. "Wow, it's huge," she laughed as Rick shrugged, climbing out of the car at the same time of her before watching as she slowly walked towards the beach, sliding her shoes off at the same time as the writer laughed and walked towards her, his arm slipping around her hips as she cuddled into his side. "I can't believe how amazing this is Rick," she declared.

"You haven't even gotten inside yet Kate" he laughed as she shrugged and leant up to kiss his cheek.

"I wouldn't care if there wasn't any furniture and it was falling apart inside, this is just amazing," she admitted as Rick smiled and nodded, knowing better than to argue with her. Stepping away from him, Kate laughed as she stepped onto the sand and felt the golden grains between her toes, a giggle leaving her lips as Rick followed her, observing every move she made, her excitement shining through as she turned to look at him.

"Want to see inside?" he asked as she nodded and laced her fingers with his and followed him into the building, unable to stop herself from beaming as he unlocked the door and sighed, watching as Kate slowly stepped into the building and laughed. "What do you think?" he asked as she nodded and entered the living room, taking in everything around her as her fingers ran across the walls. "I'm glad you like it Kate," he smiled.

"I love it," she laughed, turning around to face him as he moved towards her, her arms wrapping around his neck before she gently kissed him. "Why don't you show me where we can dump our bags and then maybe we could go and play on the beach?" she suggested as the writer nodded and took hold of her hand, leading her out of the room and towards the stairs where they slowly crept upstairs. Pushing the bedroom door open, Rick quickly covered her eyes as she squealed and slowly walked in when he began to move, leading her carefully into the room. "Rick, this is stupid," she moaned.

"I want it to be a surprise," Rick explained, smiling when he got them in the spot he wanted, the one part of the room that gave a perfect view of everything. "Here we go," he smiled, removing his hands from her face as she slowly looked out across the room in amazement. It was stunning, painted in a pale blue with a large window against the bed that looked out across the beach, her smile growing as she crawled onto the bed and stared out of the window. "What do you think?" he asked.

"I love it," she said simply, turning her head slowly to look at him before she lay down on the bed and shut her eyes before laughing. "Want to go and play on the beach Rick?" she asked quickly, the writer nodding as she sat up and reached across for her bag that was resting at the foot of the bed, Rick watching in amazement as she lifted out a small black piece of material.

"What is that?" he asked quickly.

"For me to know and for you to find out," she whispered gently, leaning up to kiss him quickly as he moaned into her mouth and watched as she giggled lightly against his lips before standing up, still clutching onto her bikini. "Go and get ready, I'll see you on the beach in ten" she stated as the writer nodded, watching as she looked around the room for a second. "Bathroom?" she asked.

"Through there gorgeous," he smiled, pointing towards the en-suite door, watching in silence as she disappeared into the other room.

XOXOXOXOXOXO

"Oh my god," Rick said in shock as he turned around to see the brunette walking out of the house in a tiny black bikini that didn't leave much to the imagination. "You really are extraordinary," he smiled as she walked towards him and wrapped her arms around his neck as he tightly moved his own around her hips as she bit into her lip and stared up at him before slowly moving away and running into the sea, squealing when the water hit her. "I like seeing this fun side of you," he smiled as he walked towards her and tightly wrapped his arms around her as she laughed and attempted to move away from him.

"Want to do something even more fun?" she asked as he shrugged and watched as she took a step away from him, the writer laughing when she fell back accidentally and landed in the water, her hair getting drenched as Rick stared at her as she ran her fingers through her soaked hair. "That wasn't funny" she moaned as Rick shrugged and stared at her for a moment as she stood up and laughed before sighing.

"So what fun things are we going to do?" Rick asked as she leant across to kiss him, smiling when she moaned again and ran her fingers through his short hair.

"I've never gone skinny dipping before," she whispered as shock covered his face. "I was thinking it was time to change that Mr Castle," she declared as moved further into the sea so it was higher up on her chest, covering her breasts as the writer watched her move her hands to her back before removing her bikini top and throwing it at him.

"You are so naughty sometimes," he laughed as she shrugged and stared at him. "What?" he asked.

"Take them off" she ordered as he groaned. "Take the shorts off Mr Castle" she declared, the writer laughing as he began to walk towards her so they were at the same depth. "I've removed my bikini top, time for you to remove some clothes".

"I have less clothes on then you did in the first place Miss Beckett," he declared as she laughed and moved towards him.

"I'll let you see my boobs if you remove your shorts," she said seriously as shock covered the writer's face.

"Are you being serious?" he asked quickly.

"One hundred per cent serious Mr Castle, now shorts off or I will make you go and get my bikini top and it will be no boobs for you," she declared, laughing when Rick quickly bent down and removed his shorts, throwing them at her as she giggled and walked towards him, her arms tightly wrapping around his neck while he ran his fingers down her spine, especially around the area where her bikini had earlier covered.

"I think you need to hold up your side of the agreement Detective" he smirked as she rolled her eyes and took a step away from him for a moment so the water was lower. "I can't believe you're doing this Kate" he commented as she shrugged, staring at him for a moment as the water began to get lower and lower. "Wait," he called out, stopping her as she stared at him for a moment. "Do you want to do this? I don't want you to do this unless this is what you want, skinny dipping's one thing but this…" he began.

"I want to," she declared as he moved towards her before gently kissing her. "I want to go that next step with us," she explained before her arms wrapped around him, the writer groaning when he felt her naked chest against his. "This relationship is already more serious than any I've ever been in," she stated as he kissed her again, his fingers moving down the side of her breasts, her eyes shutting as she felt him run his fingers across her skin.

"You're perfect," he whispered, her eyes rolling as he began to kiss her neck, both of them knowing where this was going.

**I really hope you enjoy this chapter and review, your comments mean so much to me and I really hope that you take the time to respond. **


	24. Chapter 24

Moving in the bed as he began to wake up, Rick groaned as he ran his arm across the other side of the bed to find the space where Kate had been sleeping earlier was now empty. Groaning as he sat up, Rick turned his head to see that it was bright upstairs, the creak of the floorboards outside the room turning his head as he watched the door slowly open to reveal Kate standing in the doorway with a large smile covering her face. She was dressed in only the shirt he'd been wearing the previous evening that had been hanging on the chest of drawers the previous day when he'd changed and her hair was majorly curled from where it had been soaked the previous evening.

"I made coffee," she commented, indicating down to the two mugs of coffee that she was holding, his smile growing as he sat up and watched as she placed the two mugs down on the bedside table before climbing onto the bed and straddling him as he beaned and kissed her quickly, her fingers running through his hair as they deepened the kiss. "We should drink our coffee before it gets cold," she admitted as the writer nodded and reached across for his mug, the brunette doing the same as she continued to straddle him. "Want me to move?" she asked quickly.

"Definitely not," he laughed as she rolled her eyes and sighed. "Last night was amazing," he said happily before she kissed him again, glad that he'd enjoyed it just as much as she had. "You look better in my clothes than I do Detective," he moaned as she laughed and took a sip of her coffee, smiling when the writer watched her in amazement before she sighed and tightly wrapped her arms around him. "So I thought we could have some breakfast, get dressed, maybe go and drive round town for a while and then go and see your dad," he suggested as Kate nodded slowly and sighed, finishing her coffee before putting down on the side and watching as he began to drink his coffee finally. Finishing it in silence, Rick smiled when he put it down and felt Kate lean across to kiss him again, a groan leaving her lips as he turned them so she was lying underneath him. "You're gorgeous Kate," he whispered as he began to unbutton her shirt, the brunette biting into her lip as he began to kiss her neck again like he always did. Hearing her stomach make a noise, Rick laughed as the brunette blushed and shut her eyes, smiling to herself when the writer pressed a kiss to her stomach before moving off her and sitting up, her eyes immediately opening to see him pulling on his boxers.

"Where are you going?" she asked quickly as she sat up and began to button up the shirt again as the writer turned and smiled at her.

"To make you breakfast," he admitted as she bit into her lip slowly. "Now you can either stay in here and wait for me to bring it to you or you could come and help me with breakfast," Rick declared as Kate slowly nodded and climbed off the bed, the writer's arm wrapping around her hips as they slowly walked out of the bedroom together. "You are seriously one hot woman," he muttered as they walked down the stairs together while Kate remained cuddled into his arms, unable to stop herself from smiling as she remained close to him. Entering the kitchen a few seconds later, Kate laughed as the writer lifted her onto the kitchen side and smiled when she tightly wrapped her arms around his neck before leaning in to kiss him, enjoying how light and easy everything seemed.

"This is my first real morning after," she admitted as confusion covered his face. "I used to always wake up before my partners and either go to work or go for a run, I just couldn't deal with the whole awkward morning after," she explained as Rick nodded slowly, listening to everything she had to say. "I was going to do that this morning, I was in the en-suite with my clothes and then I just thought about it and realised I don't have a reason to be scared and so I went downstairs and made our coffee and came back to bed," she smiled, obviously proud of what she'd done that morning. "I kind of wanted to be there when you woke up," she admitted.

"Thank you for coming back to bed Kate," he whispered, leaning up to kiss her as she moaned into his mouth. "If you ever feel like that again, if you ever feel confused or scared or anything, just tell me and we can talk about," he promised as she nodded again and looked across at the fridge. "Hungry?" he asked quickly, her head nodding before she laughed and watched as he moved away and took out eggs and bacon, already knowing what he was going to make her. "Eggs and bacon?"

"Eggs and bacon sounds great Rick," she laughed, her excitement obvious as he began to cook, occasionally leaning across to kiss her as he continued to prepare their breakfast with the largest smile covering his face.

XOOXOXOXOXOXXO

She was nervous. She was nervous about seeing her own father and that didn't even feel right to her! Turning around quickly, Kate sighed as the writer slowly walked towards her with a large smile covering his face before he wrapped his arms around her and began to lead her in the direction the receptionist had just given him.

"Rick I'm scared, what if he doesn't want to see me?" Kate asked quietly when they finally stopped outside a room, the writer smiling as he looked down at her in amazement before gently pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"I promise, he'll want to see you! You are after all his little girl," he declared, her eyes rolling as he knocked on the door and slowly opened it to see Jim Beckett sat alone in a room with a book in his hands, his concentration not on them but instead on the pages he was busy reading. "Mr Beckett?" Rick asked, knowing that someone needed to take the first step and it wouldn't be Kate.

"Yes?" Jim asked, obviously annoyed at being interrupted, his head still lowered as he attempted to continue reading the pages of his book. "What do you…" Jim began before falling silent when he looked up to see Rick and Kate standing in the doorway, Kate's body cuddled nervously into the writer's side as she smiled weakly across at him.

"Hey daddy," Kate whispered, tears appearing in her eyes as she walked towards him, beaming when her father stood up and wrapped his arms around her. "I've missed you," Kate admitted as she kept her face buried into her father's chest, the older man smiling down at her before pressing a kiss into her hair. "You remember Rick," Kate smiled as she stepped away from him and watched as the writer took a step towards them.

"Of course I do," Jim smiled as Kate watched the two men in her life shake hands. "Still just friends?" he asked quickly as Kate blushed while Rick shook his head and wrapped his arm around Kate's hips as Jim beamed. "Definitely not just friends," he commented as the couple laughed.

"Definitely not just friends anymore," Rick said proudly as he looked down at his smiling girlfriend who was watching her father in amazement. "So how are you feeling Mr Beckett?" Rick asked quickly.

"Jim please," the older man smiled as he sat down and watched as Kate and Rick did the same on the couch. "I'm doing good thank you Richard, I was actually going to call you this weekend Kate, I promise," he explained as Kate nodded and walked towards him, her arms sneaking around him again as the older man laughed. "I've missed you, I've missed you so much," he admitted as she nodded in agreement, his fingers brushing across her cheek as she slowly shut her eyes for a moment. "I'm going to make more of an effort when we get back to New York, we'll do lunch once a week or something sweetheart," Jim promised as Kate nodded.

"You'll have to come and meet Alexis," Kate laughed as Rick watched them in amazement, seeing the change between father and daughter now to how they'd been when he'd first met Jim Beckett. "She's amazing daddy, you'll love her," the brunette beamed.

"Who's Alexis Katie?" he asked quickly.

"Rick's amazing six year old daughter," Kate laughed as Rick smiled at her and watched as she looked across at her father who was smiling at them. "She's an amazing child, she reads, she's enthusiastic about everything and I know she'll love to meet you," she declared as the writer nodded, knowing that Alexis was desperate to meet anyone to do with Kate Beckett.

"I can't wait to meet her, she sounds great," Jim sighed as he stared at the book that was resting beside him. "I decided to read one of your books today Richard, they're very good," he admitted as Rick smiled and looked at Kate who was rolling her eyes. "I can see why my wife and Katie both love them," he announced.

"Thank you," Rick declared as Kate found his hand and squeezed it, her smile growing as she cuddled into his side.

"Rick, is it okay if I have a moment alone with my dad?" Kate whispered as the writer nodded and stood up, excusing himself before he left the room.

"He really does care about you Katie," Jim commented as Kate laughed and nodded, moving towards her father before sitting on the edge of his chair before leaning down to press a kiss into his hair. "I've missed you Katie bug," he admitted as Kate smiled and nodded slowly, knowing that she'd missed her father too. She wasn't used to him being so far away, so far from her daily life and she never wanted to feel that again. "I'm glad that Rick's been there for you, in more ways than one," he joked as Kate rolled her eyes.

"He understands me dad, more than anyone else and that scares me," she admitted nervously as the older man nodded slowly. "He knows how I'm feeling just from looking at me and he makes me laugh and makes me feel safe and I never seem to go anywhere without him now," she declared as her father continued to nod, making her laugh as she began to play with a strand of her hair. "Dad I don't think I've ever liked a guy this much," she murmured as Jim slowly looked up at her, noticing the small smile that was covering her face as she fell silent.

"You like him Kate, let yourself enjoy your relationship. Stop overthinking, stop trying to find his flaws, just enjoy being with him," Jim laughed as he found his daughter's hand and squeezed him. "Rick makes you smile and laugh, he makes you the Katie you were before your mom died and that's a good thing sweetheart, it's good because your mom would want you to find someone to love you," he explained as Kate began to play with her lip. "I know you're scared about feeling like this but you have to let it happen otherwise none of your relationships are going to last," he whispered as she gently kissed his head again, knowing that he was probably right. "What are you guys doing for the rest of the weekend?" he asked quickly, attempting to lighten the mood as Kate laughed gently.

"We're staying at Rick's house in the Hamptons till Monday," she told her father as Jim stared at her in shock. His daughter was in a Hampton's beach house? "I think we're going into town tomorrow but we're just enjoying the time alone without work and other distractions, it's just nice to be a couple," she admitted as Jim smiled at her, laughing when Rick knocked on the door and slowly entered the room, her smile growing as he walked over to join her. "What are you doing in here?" she asked quickly, her voice full of laughter as the writer sighed.

"We're being kicked out Kate, we can't stay any longer," he said quietly, watching as sadness began to cover her face before she slowly turned to look at her father. "I'm sorry but we can come back tomorrow if you want," he declared as Jim quickly stood up and wrapped his arms around her for a moment before pressing a kiss into his daughter's dark hair.

"Don't come back tomorrow sweetheart, enjoy your day with Rick, it was nice just seeing you for a while," he whispered to her as she stared up at him, shocked that he didn't want to see her again. "It'll make it so much better when I get out of here," he whispered as she nodded slowly, knowing that her father needed her to go. "You've given me the motivation again to do this Katie and I'm so happy to know that you're getting on with your life and not stuck in another one of those useless relationships of yours," he stated as Kate stared at him.

"None of my relationships have been useless," she commented, knowing that she was lying.

"Kate, I never met Will and you clearly weren't happy with him, you never talked about him and you seemed so upset whenever I mentioned him," he declared as Rick watched them in silence. "But you smile every time someone mentions Rick," he whispered as embarrassment covered her face, Rick's head shaking as he watched Kate bury her face into her father's chest to stop herself from being seen by her boyfriend.

"Come on Kate, we should go," Rick sighed, hating that he was hassling her.

"I'll see you soon Katie bug," Jim smiled as the brunette groaned and took a step away from him, glaring across at him as he chuckled and watched her.

"See you soon dad," Kate declared before walking out of the room, her fingers lacing with Rick's as they silently left the room before Rick shut the door.

"So Katie bug, what do you want to do now?" he teased as she punched his arm before laughing and walking down the corridor, not surprised when Rick wrapped an arm around her shoulders and walked out of the building with her, glad that she'd enjoyed seeing her father for the first time since he'd started rehab.

XOXOXOOXOXOOXOXOXOXO

"He looks good," Rick smiled as they walked down the beach together, the writer smiling as he looked at the woman who was stood beside him in a small summer dress, her dark hair flowing over her shoulders as she nodded in silence. "Hey, what's wrong? You haven't said anything since we left," he declared, deciding that it was time to find out what was wrong with his girlfriend.

"Nothing," she lied as the writer stopped them and took hold of both her hands, the two of them staring at each other as she bit into her lip slowly. "It's just something dad said," she admitted as the writer watched her, waiting for her to say more. "He was saying how this relationship isn't useless and how it's clearly more important to me than any of my other relationships," she declared as Rick smiled weakly, realising that she was panicking. "And it is," she stated as he breathed a sigh of relief.

"And you're scared?" he asked as she slowly nodded. "There's nothing to be scared about Kate, I'm not going to hurt you," he promised, gently pressing his lips to her as she began to respond to the act. "This relationship is the most serious I've ever been in and it's worth too much to be ruined because we're both scared," he admitted.

"You've been married," she declared.

"Because she got pregnant, we shouldn't have gotten married," Rick explained as she nodded slowly and smiled weakly. "Sometimes, I think about our whole relationship Kate and then I realise, why do I have to be scared of commitment? Why do I have to be scared about being in a relationship with the most amazing woman who keeps me sane and grounded and is sexy and knows all about the things I love?" he smiled as she blushed before leaning up to kiss his cheek gently as he watched her in amazement. "If you feel scared, tell me, if you feel upset or angry or happy or anything just tell me Kate because this relationship needs to open and honest, no crossed wires and no secrets," he said as she nodded and leant up to kiss him, this time on his lips. "This relationship is going to make it," he declared, his voice full of determination as she slowly nodded.

"We have to make it to Paris," she whispered gently against his lips as Rick nodded, laughing when he lifted her up into his arms as she squealed. "I can't wait for Paris," she admitted before kissing him, not giving him the time to answer as they continued to deepen the kiss, her fingers running through his hair as she laughed, just enjoying being alone with him.


	25. Chapter 25

"I kind of don't ever want to leave here," Kate admitted as she lay on her stomach and stared out of the window, watching as the sun rose while the writer continued to massage her back, her eyes shutting for a moment as she enjoyed the feel of his fingers on her skin. "I could imagine us just staying here forever, you and me on the beach every day, Alexis running around in the sand when she wasn't at school," Kate smiled as the writer leant down and kissed her neck while she moaned gently.

"I think we'd get fed up of the beach Kate if we lived here all the time," he admitted as she shook her head and turned around to face him, her smile growing as he leant down to kiss her properly, her fingers running through his short hair as she relaxed into the kiss. "The beach is for holidays, a place for getting away from the city but we need the city, Alexis needs the city and you, my darling, need the city to chase criminals," he declared, kissing her again as she smiled against his lips before sighing and cuddling into his arms as he moved to lie down beside her so he wasn't crushing her anymore. "So my beautiful detective, what do you want to do today on our last amazing day in the sun?" he asked quickly as Kate smiled at him for a moment before cuddling into his arms and kissing him again, not wanting to move out of the security of his arms as she buried her face into his shoulder. "We could play on the beach or we could go into town and go shopping for a while or we can do anything you want," Rick explained as she shrugged and shut her eyes, enjoying the feeling of his fingers drawing patterns on the hip.

"I like the idea of town actually, just you and me, shopping for a while and then we can come back and play on the beach," she admitted as they remained close for a moment before he slowly began to move, a moan leaving her lips when he slipped out of the bed and laughed at her reaction. She was different to the woman he'd first started dating! She was clingy and huggable and he loved this new side of her, even though he knew this Kate wasn't going to stay around when they went back to New York. "Where are you going? It's still early," Kate moaned as the writer laughed and leant down to quickly kiss her.

"I think holidays are bad for you detective, you act completely out of character," he teased as she shrugged and pulled him back onto the bed. "I was going to make you breakfast," he admitted as she shook her head and cuddled into his side. "Bacon, eggs, coffee," he whispered, smiling to himself when she looked up at him with her teeth in her bottom lip.

"You were going to make coffee?" she asked as he nodded, laughing when she leant up and kissed him before pushing him towards the end of the bed. "You can go and make coffee," she declared, the writer laughing as he stood up again and watched as she relaxed back into his side of the bed.

"I always knew you loved the coffee more than me Kate," he joked before they both fell silent. "I…" he began before she sat up silently and found his hand, lacing her fingers with his before he moved and kissed her gently, the two of them moving away from each other slowly as they both smiled.

"I promise, you mean more to me than coffee," she declared as he nodded and moved away from her. "Now please make me a coffee so we can cuddle again," she stated as he nodded and walked down the stairs, the writer disappearing from sight as Kate quickly laughed and fell back against the mattress. Hearing her cell phone ring loudly, Kate groaned as she opened the bedside drawer to see Esposito's name flashing on her screen, her eyes shutting as she pressed the answer button and held it to her ear. "Beckett," she said quietly, knowing that this probably meant that her holiday was over.

XOXOOXXOXOXOXOXO

"You're dressed," Rick declared as he entered the bedroom to see Kate pulling a t-shirt on over her jeans, a sad smile covering her face as she moved towards him and took one of the coffees from him before burying her head into his shoulder, the writer looking across to see her cell phone lying on the bed. "You need to go back don't you?" he asked quickly as she nodded and shut her eyes, not wanting to move out of the security of his arms.

"A serial killer, four women are dead already and they need as many cops as they can find," she admitted as the writer pressed a kiss into her hair for a moment. "I'm sorry, I know it's only a day early but I really wanted to spend the day with you. Town really did sound amazing," she whispered as Rick shrugged and looked at her for a moment before kissing her lips. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry that I can't have a job that lets me have vacation time, I know you really wanted to show me around," she admitted, the writer shrugging as he put his own coffee down and moved towards his wardrobe. "You could stay," she whispered.

"No, I'm driving you home," he declared, the brunette smiling as she sat on the edge of the bed and watched as he quickly dressed himself, throwing his clothes into his bag before turning to look at her as she crawled towards the window and looked out on the beach. "We'll come back Kate, I promise, we'll come back," he whispered as she nodded and smiled out at the view, taking in the breath taking sight for one last time. "Next time we'll bring Alexis and do some more things together, just the three of us," he whispered as she nodded and turned to face him again, noticing that he was now completely dressed and packing the rest of his stuff away into the bag. "We should go Katie," he stated as the detective climbed off the bed and wrapped her arms around this neck.

"This may have finished early but it's been the most amazing holiday of my life," she declared as he stared at her for a moment. "I've never trusted a man enough to go away with him, to let him take me on holiday somewhere where we can be completely alone," Kate explained as she ran her fingers across his cheek. "So hold onto that thought, hold onto that because that shows how much you mean to me," she whispered gently before kissing him again, his arms wrapping around her as she moaned into his mouth. "This has been fantastic," Kate whispered, the writer nodding as he stared at her in amazement.

"It's definitely been that," he smiled, wrapping his arms around her as she cuddled into his hold. "We should get going, New York needs it super detective at the moment," he announced, the brunette rolling her eyes as she laced her fingers with his and grabbed her bag before walking out of the room with him, not wanting to leave at all.

OXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

"So are you coming over tonight for dinner and to stay?" Rick asked quickly as Kate relaxed back in her work chair and stared at the almost empty precinct. Everyone else had headed home for the evening to try and get a good nights sleep but she'd decided to stay and attempt to find anything that might break their case and help them catch the killer they were chasing. "I miss you and mother's decided to take Alexis out for the evening again because there's a performance on that she can't let Alexis miss," he admitted as Kate groaned, wishing that she could go back and cuddle with her boyfriend and have dinner with him. "But you're going to say no because you've decided to stay at the precinct and attempt to solve this case on your own," he declared as Kate sighed and nodded, hating that he knew her so well.

"Why do you have to know me so well?" Kate asked quickly as the writer laughed down the line and sighed. "I really want to have dinner with you and to just cuddle but I need to solve this case, they need me to solve this case," she declared as she looked up at the murder board, sighing as she heard the writer moan, the elevator dinging behind her. Who the hell was coming back at this hour? Not bothering to turn around, Kate sighed as she kept the phone against her ear and tried to think of something to say to Rick to say how sorry she was. "I was thinking that maybe once the case is closed we could take Alexis to the museum or something," Kate suggested.

"Sounds amazing," Rick smiled as Kate beamed. "So you sat at your desk right now Kate?" he asked as Kate shut her eyes.

"Yeah," she sighed, wishing that she wasn't. She wanted to go to his loft, she wanted to make out with him on the couch and be nervous when his daughter and mother returned and her t-shirt was somewhere on the floor and she was blushing because she didn't know what to do. She just wanted to spend the time with him that they were supposed to be spending in his beach house miles away. "I wish we were still at the beach," she admitted.

"So do I," he smiled. "I'd probably do a barbecue and we would sit on the beach and eat and then I'd probably start kissing you and playing with whatever you'd be wearing, probably that sexy bikini of yours," he commented as she laughed and nodded, enjoying his plan. "But I'm happy to wait for that," he admitted.

"You're really amazing Rick," she declared.

"That doesn't mean I'm happy Kate, I'm extremely jealous that works taken you away from me detective when you should be in my bed completely naked with me kissing you everywhere," he announced as she laughed and sighed.

"Look I need to go now, I've drunk about eight coffees today and I need to pee now," she laughed as the writer groaned.

"Too much information Kate," he laughed as she rolled her eyes. "I'll talk to you soon," he declared, the two of them saying goodbye before she put the phone down and walked towards the toilets, not seeing anyone. Had she imagined someone entering through the elevator? Walking out of the cubicle a few moments later, Kate sighed as she quickly washed her hands and looked at herself in the mirror before walking towards the door and leaving to see that all the lights were off and there was a small shining light in the direction of the break room. What the hell?

"Hello?" she called out, walking towards the break room before noticing the candles that covered the break room table and the two boxes of Chinese that were resting on the table. What the hell was going on? Feeling someone cover her eyes, Kate laughed quickly as she smelt the familiar smell of Rick's aftershave. "What are you planning Mr Castle?" she asked as he groaned and moved his hands from her face.

"I texted Esposito and asked whether you were on your own and told me you'd refused to leave so I planned dinner," he declared, the brunette smiling as she looked across at the candles and Chinese that he brought to her. "I was just lucky that you needed to pee because of your coffee addiction," he teased as she groaned and sat down quickly before sighing as he sat opposite her and took hold of her hand. "I thought maybe I could help you look into the case," he stated as she bit into her lip and nodded quickly before taking a bite of her meal and moaning.

"Thank you," Kate beamed as he shrugged and just watched her in amazing. "I don't deserve you Richard Castle," she admitted as he shook his head and leant across the table, the brunette doing the same to kiss him quickly as their smiles grew. She didn't care that she was having a romantic dinner with her boyfriend in the homicide break room; it was the most romantic thing that anyone had ever done for her.

**So what do you think? **


	26. Chapter 26

"Espo come here," Kevin called over quietly as the detective turned around where he was standing before slowly approaching his partner, a smile covering his face when he looked into the break room to see the same sight as Ryan. Kate Beckett was curled up on the break room couch with Rick's arms tightly wrapped around her, the two of them fast asleep in each other's arms. "Do you think we should wake them up before Montgomery gets here?" the detective questioned as Esposito shook his head. There wasn't any need to wake them up because he could see the writer starting to stir beside their boss and his girlfriend!

"Kate," Rick yawned as he stared across at the two men who smiled and moved away from the door, not wanting to be there when Kate woke up and found them staring at her. "Kate, you need to wake up now, it's later than we thought," the writer whispered as he brushed his lips against her forehead and laughed when she groaned and buried her face into his chest, obviously not wanting to wake up yet. "Kate, we're at the precinct and your colleagues and friends were just watching us sleep," he admitted, smiling when she sat up in shock and looked out at the precinct to see Ryan and Espo smirking at her from their seats. "Good morning beautiful," Rick smiled as she turned to look at him, her smile growing gently as she leant down and kissed him gently, not caring if Javier and Kevin saw her with her boyfriend.

"Hi," she smiled gently as he brushed hair away from her face and laughed. "I need to get on with my work and you need to go home," she stated as she stood up and ran her fingers through her dark hair before tying it back away from her face and approaching the door. "Thank you for dinners Rick, I loved it," she declared as he stood up and walked towards her, looking out to see only Ryan and Esposito by their desks as his arms wrapped around her hips and he leant in to kiss him again. "Feel free to come over with dinner again when I'm working late, it was nice to have a distraction for a while," she smiled as he nodded and sighed, not wanting to leave her yet.

"Can I stay?" he asked, laughing when she immediately shook her head and stared at him. "Come on, my insight helped you find some things last night," he declared as she nodded and brushed down her clothes, making sure they were respectable before she opened the door and walked out into the precinct. "I could bring you lunch," he commented, a laugh leaving Kate's lips as she sat down at her desk and stared up at him. "Or something," he smiled.

"Can't live without me Katherine?" he asked as she rolled her eyes and turned to look at her murder board, wishing to remove the image of the dead women saying that she'd got the justice their families deserved. "I'll see you later, call me if you need help or you're hungry or anything, just call me" he stated as she nodded and watched as he slowly walked towards the elevator, disappearing from her sight as Javier and Kevin began to wolf whistle behind her.

"Yes Rick came over last night, now grow up and get over it," she warned as she turned to look at them, not surprised when they both shook their heads. "Rick came over with some food because I hadn't eaten, just because no one will do that for you two," she declared before standing up and sighing, her eyes focusing on the board in front of her. "I want to see him again," she declared, pointing at a picture of one man as the two men nodded, knowing that Beckett was determined to get this done today.

XOXOXOOXOXXOXOXO

"Daddy," Alexis squealed as she ran down the stairs and tightly wrapped her arms around her father who laughed and lifted her into his arms, excitement covering his face at having his little girl back in his arms. "I went to the theatre last night daddy and saw this really cool play, it was amazing but grams kept singing along," she admitted as Rick laughed, not surprised at what his daughter had just told him! His mother always sang along to musicals, it was one of the reasons why they always sat away from her so they could listen in peace. "Did you have fun with Katie? Did you see her dad?" she asked quickly.

"We did see her dad sweetheart," Rick smiled as he moved to sit down on the couch, Alexis moving to sit down on the couch before sighing. "He was a lot better and it made Kate really happy to see him again, we're going to have him over for dinner once he's out of the place he's staying," he declared as the redhead beamed in excitement. "He's looking forward to meeting you, Kate talked about you a lot," he announced as Alexis nodded and cuddled into his side before Rick held her close for a moment. "You mean a lot to Kate," Rick whispered as he began to run his fingers through her hair.

"I love Katie daddy," Alexis smiled as Rick began to plait her hair slowly, the redhead shutting her eyes as she relaxed into his arms. "Is Katie working?" the six year old questioned as Rick nodded and sighed, wishing she could be with him.

"Katie's working but she's determined to finish this case, she's going to come to the museum with us and we're going to have a great time I promise," he declared as Rick nodded and tightly wrapped his arms around her. Cradling his daughter to his body, Rick sighed when his phone began to almost scream from the table it was resting on, the noise killing him as he reached across and stared at the number that was flashing up. He didn't know this number! Hitting the answer button, Rick sighed as he stared down at his little girl who was half asleep in his arms before pressing the phone to his ear. "Richard Castle," he smiled as he relaxed back for a moment.

"It's Esposito, I'm calling about Beckett," the man said as Rick stared across the room, taking in how serious Esposito's tone was.

**So it's a short chapter and it's a cliff hanger but it's time for some drama in Rick and Kate's perfect little world so hopefully you're excited about the next chapter! I'll try and update soon, maybe tomorrow because I'm going to Spain this weekend and don't want to leave you without a chapter. **

**Thank you for your amazing response as well, it really does make me smile to know that you are all interested in this story still! I was quite amazed to find that the chapters were in their twenties, I didn't think I'd written that much and your support has been so wonderful!**


	27. Chapter 27

"She's through here Mr Castle," the nurse said quietly as Rick followed him towards the hospital room, nervously holding onto the bouquet of flowers that he'd collected on the way to the hospital. He'd fought with his daughter about her coming and in the end he'd lost but she'd happily gone with Javier for a hot chocolate when they'd arrived at the hospital. Opening the door slowly, Rick sighed as he looked at the brunette who was fast asleep in the bed, a cast on her leg while cuts and bruises covered her face. What had happened? Looking across at the chair, Rick sighed as he stared at the heeled boots that were resting on the cushion. Approaching the bed slowly, Rick sighed as he rested the flowers in the vase that was beside the bed before running his fingers through her hair, brushing it away from her face as she moaned and buried her face into the pillow.

"I leave you alone for five minutes and this happens," Rick whispered as she turned to look at him, her eyes staring at him as they filled with tears. "Don't you dare cry, you've done nothing wrong here, you have no reason to cry right now," he smiled as he found his hand and laced his fingers with hers as she smiled weakly, her other hand moving to violently wipe the tears away.

"I'm not crying," Kate whispered as he laughed and nodded, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead gently as she remained perfectly still.

"What happened to your leg then detective?" he asked quickly as he looked down at the cast while Kate groaned and covered her face with her hands, obviously drugged up.

"Suspect pushed me down a flight of stairs when we went to arrest him today," she said quietly as Rick sighed. "I've broken my leg, broken some ribs and I've bruised my face, I've had scans and there's no other damage fortunately but yeah, I'm kind of broken right now" she moaned as he ran his fingers across the bruise that was starting to surround her eye. "I'm really glad you're here Rick," Kate admitted as she looked up at the flowers and smiled, unable to stop herself from smiling at how beautiful they were. He'd brought her flowers, her boyfriend had bought her flowers and for the first time in her life, she loved the fact she was being spoilt by him. "Is Alexis here as well?" Kate asked quickly.

"She's gone to get a hot chocolate with Esposito, she'll be back in a minute, she's really worried about you," he declared as Kate nodded slowly and stared down at their entwined fingers. "Did you get the bastard?" he asked, Kate nodding again before Rick leant across and kissed her gently, not wanting to hurt her as she smiled weakly and ran her fingers through his short hair. "We need to buy you some better shoes, those things definitely didn't help you today," he commented, glancing across her boots as she began to moan into his neck. "I know the heels are sexy and powerful and everything but Kate, they don't protect your ankles when you're running around, it's time you got some better shoes," he declared as she glared at him, not wanting his advice about her clothing. She wanted power heels and she was going to wear them, no matter what people thought!

"I'm going to wear my heeled boots to work, no matter what Rick so get used to it," she stated, the writer laughing before pressing another kiss to her forehead as she shut her eyes and relaxed back for a moment.

"Katie," a voice squealed in the doorway as her eyes opened and she looked across to see Alexis running towards the bed, a large smile covering her face as Rick helped her onto the bed and watched as the redhead gently hugged the older woman who leant down and pressed a kiss into the six years old curls. "Did you hurt your leg Katie? You have a cast on it," Alexis commented as Kate laughed and looked down at the bulky cast that covered her leg.

"I broke my leg falling down the stairs sweetheart," Kate admitted, keeping the smile on her face as she looked at her cast before sighing. There was no way she was working for a while, at a desk or not! "I guess I'm going to have some time off for a while because of this," the brunette said gently as excitement covered Alexis' face at the prospect of spending more time with the detective while Rick listened in silence. "And I guess I'm going to have to stay with someone because it's going to be a nightmare to get around my apartment on my own for a while," Kate commented, looking up at the writer who was beaming at her for a moment.

"You can stay with us Katie," Alexis squealed, making both Kate and Rick laugh as they looked at her enthusiasm. "Daddy and I will look after you and grams will entertain you and it'll be really fun, we can do loads of cool things," the redhead promised as Kate nodded slowly and hugged her again, being careful not to knock the small girl into her ribs as she relaxed back against the cushions and played with Alexis' hair while Rick perched on the end of the bed, watching her in amazement as she plaited the redhead's hair in a comfortable silence.

"Is it okay if I stay with you?" Kate asked quietly, noticing that Alexis was now asleep in her arms. "The doctor says I need to stay with someone because I need some bed rest and well seeing that you're my boyfriend and you love caring for me I thought…" she began as the writer leant across and kissed her gently.

"You can stay with us for as long as you need," he whispered against her lips before looking down at his daughter. "I should move her, she'll get heavy and you don't need that pressure on your ribs right now," he declared, the brunette groaning when he stood up and lifted Alexis out of her arms and towards the small couch in the private room, the brunette smiling as Rick slowly walked towards her and sat on the edge of the bed in silence. "Do you want me to call your dad and tell him?" he asked as she quickly shook her head.

"He doesn't need the stress right now," Kate admitted as the writer nodded gently and looked at her, his hand cupping her less injured cheek as she continued to stare at him before leaning in to cuddle into his arms, not caring about the ache that started to radiate from her ribs. "Thanks for coming," she said quietly as he tightened his hold of her.

"You're hurt, I wasn't just going to leave you here on your own Kate, no one likes hospital and I'm going to guess that you hate them," he declared, pressing a kiss into her dark hair before sighing. "Want me to tie your hair back? It must be getting on your nerves now," he commented, her head nodding slowly as he moved and started to plait her hair while Kate remained perfectly still in silence, not knowing what to say to him. Richard Castle, her favourite crime writer, her boyfriend, was currently plaiting her hair while she sat in a hospital bed, drugged up with a broken ankle.

"The best decision I ever made was dating you Rick," she whispered quietly as he smiled and relaxed back into the bed, not surprised when she quietly fell asleep against him before they could say anything else to each other.

XOOXOXOXOXOXOX

"When can I take her home?" Rick asked quietly, not wanting to disturb the sleeping woman and his child as he looked at the doctor who was currently going through Kate's chart in silence. "I can deal with a broken leg and some ribs but Kate hates hospitals and I think she needs to get out here because right now you have her on some heavy stuff, when she gets off those you're going to want her as far away as possible," he declared, the doctor smiling as he looked up at the couple, noticing how obvious the other man's affections were for the sleeping detective.

"She'll need bed rest for a couple of days and then she can start moving around, no work until that leg is completely healed and she's done some physical therapy to strengthen it," he declared as Rick nodded, already feeling Kate move in his arms. "She needs to sit down and let other person do things for her and from talking with her colleagues that sounds like something you might like to break to her" he joked as Rick nodded and smiled when Kate moaned and opened her eyes, looking around the room in silence. "I'll go and get you the documents you need to sign," he declared, walking out of the hospital room before disappearing while Rick continued to smile at his girlfriend.

"Hi," Rick smiled as she nodded, groaning when she started to move against him. "The doctor's gone to get you some things to sign and then we're going to go home," he explained, glancing across to see that Alexis was still fast asleep, amazing him! His mother had clearly worn her out the previous evening. Watching the doctor walk in in silence, Rick smiled weakly as Kate sat up and stared at the documents that were resting on the table, the brunette quickly signing where she needed too before groaning. "Do we need to go to your apartment and get you anything?" he asked, her head shaking as he slid out behind her and stood up before kneeling down beside his daughter. "Lex, we're going home now," Rick said quietly as he looked at his little girl before playing with her hair, watching as she opened her eyes and yawned. "Come on sleepy head, it's time we got Katie back home," he stated, turning his head to see Kate obviously thinking about something. "What are you thinking about?" he asked quickly as the brunette bit into her lip. "Tell me," he laughed.

"Could we go back to the Hamptons?" she asked quickly as shock covered his face. She wanted to go back to the Hampton's with him? "I mean I can't exactly swim or do anything fun like that but I'd like to get out of town for a while and Alexis has some time off," she declared, the writer nodding as Alexis squealed in excitement from the couch where she was sitting with a large smile on her face. "It would nice to be just to sit and look at the beach for a while; it would be nicer than just sitting in my apartment," she explained as the writer nodded and pressed a kiss to her lips while Alexis giggled at them before standing and watching as Rick helped Kate off the bed and into a waiting wheelchair.

XOOXOXOXOXOXOXO

"Daddy we're here," Alexis squealed hours later as she stepped out of the car and watched as her father climbed out of the vehicle and lifted Kate into his arms while Alexis grabbed a couple of bags from the back of the car and followed him towards the house while Kate continued to sleep in his arms. "Is Katie okay?" the redhead asked quickly, looking up at the woman who was curled up in her father's arms.

"Katie's fine, she's on quite strong painkillers right now pumpkin so she's sleepy but she'll be okay tomorrow," Rick explained as he unlocked the door and allowed Alexis inside before he walked inside and kicked the door shut, knowing he needed to put Kate to bed because he was terrified of hurting her leg and ribs more than he already was. "Why don't you get up to bed? It's starting to get late," he commented as Alexis nodded and ran up the stairs with her bag towards the room that was always hers.

"Is she really going to sleep?" a small voice asked as Rick looked down to see Kate staring up at him for a moment, his smile growing as he began to walk up the stairs towards the bedroom that they'd stayed in the previous day. "Maybe you could invite her into our room, we could watch some movies or do something, it's not like we're able to do anything adult and fun," she declared, the writer groaning before kicking the door open gently and approaching the bed where he gently rested her on the mattress and sighed as she sat up. "Help me change?" she asked, Rick nodding as he walked out of the room and returned a few moments later with their bags. Pulling her shirt off, Kate sighed as she looked at the t-shirt the writer had removed from her bag before pulling it on over her bruised skin while Rick watched in silence. "I was so desperate to finish the case so we could go to the museum with Alexis, I was so excited about it," she admitted.

"We'll go soon," he promised, pressing a kiss into her hair before helping her remove her pants, the brunette shutting her eyes when her leg moved and agony ran through her veins. Helping her pull on a pair of his boxers, Rick sighed as he watched the brunette collapse back against the pillows before shaking her head. "I know you're fed up of this already but just do what the doctor advised and then you'll be able to get this thing off," he announced; her head nodding slowly as she sighed. She wanted to fight him, fight everything he was saying but this man, this wonderful man, had come to the hospital when her colleagues had called and he had taken her to his beach home so she was somewhere comfortable. "You look tired Kate," he explained as she shrugged.

"I've been sleeping most of the day, I want to do something," she moaned as the writer sat down beside her and watched her for a moment. "Read to me, write something, just do something that involves me," she declared, the writer smiling as he moved towards the book shelf in the room that were decorated with a collection of books that she couldn't read the titles of from where she was sitting. "What's this?" she asked quickly.

"This was one of my favourite books when I was Alexis' age," he admitted as she looked at the old copy of fairy tales. "Mother bought it for me for my birthday and it was the best present I ever got, this inspired me to write," he explained, his smile growing as he tightly wrapped his arms around her body. "I used to read these to Alexis when she was sick," he admitted as Kate cuddled into his side and watched as he opened the book to reveal the child like handwriting of his name on the front page.

"You had cute handwriting," she explained as he laughed and held her close for a moment. "Read them to me," she whispered as he nodded and turned to the first story, reading each word gently as Kate remained cuddled into his side, listening in amazement until exhaustion began to take over, sleep slowly taking over her body while Rick continued to read to her gently.


	28. Chapter 28

He knew she was bored. He could see every time he turned around to see her sat in the chair with her book held in her hands but instead of reading it she was always staring across at him and Alexis while they played in the sea together. Staring down at his daughter, Rick sighed as he lifted the little girl into his arms and smiled at her for a moment before gently pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"Go and play with Katie, I'll be fine dad," she smiled as the writer laughed, knowing that he had the best daughter in the world. Putting the little girl down onto the sand, Rick sighed as she sat down and began to build a sandcastle while he ran towards his girlfriend and leant down to kiss her as she smiled up at him weakly.

"Alexis is willing to share me for the moment so I'm all yours for a while," he declared as she nodded and watched as he pulled a chair up towards her and sat down, holding onto her hand as she rested her book onto the table before sighing and looking across at him. "Maybe we should have stayed in the city, you would have been more entertained there," he declared as she shook her head and looked across to kiss him gently, smiles growing on both their faces as he began to run his fingers across her face. She really was beautiful. "Are you really bored?" he asked quietly as she shook her head again.

"No, I'm just fed up," she admitted as he nodded slowly, his eyes drifting to look at the large cast that was decorating her leg. "I want to be playing with you and Alexis and instead I'm sat here because I can't even walk properly, it's annoying," she declared as he nodded, his fingers remaining threaded with hers as she continued to look over his shoulder to watch Alexis focusing on her sand castle in compete amazement. "She's such a wonderful little girl," she commented as Rick turned his head and laughed before nodding and facing Kate again. "I can't believe that you brought her up sometimes," she declared, the writer rolling his eyes as Kate sighed and looked at him. "Will you come and cuddle with me for a while?" she asked, the writer nodding as she attempted to move, the writer quickly moving to sit down before she sat on his lap and his arms wrapped tightly around her body and his lips pressed a kiss into her cherry scented hair that he'd helped her wash the previous evening.

"When you get better Kate and your leg is okay we'll go and do something really energetic together, dancing or running or ice skating…" he declared, falling silent when the brunette turned to look at him with a sad look covering her face. "What's wrong sweetheart?" he asked.

"I haven't been ice skating since mom died," she admitted quietly, wanting to be honest with the man she loved more than anything in the world. "She taught me to skate, bought me the best skates ever, they still fit actually but I haven't worn them since," she began, her eyes shutting as she shook her head and buried her face into his neck, not wanting to think about the memory of laughing when she opened the box to find her fantastic new skates staring up at her and her mother beaming at her excitement over the brand new brightly coloured skates. "She always told me she was going to buy me skates and then she did, she bought me these amazing skates and I loved them, I love them," she laughed, the writer nodding as he looked at her to see the tears staining her cheeks.

"I bet she spoilt you, her only child," he commented as Kate shrugged and looked up to see him smiling at her gently, not with the usual pity that covered everyone else's face when she discussed her mother.

"She always taught me to work for what I wanted Rick, she never let me just get something because I asked for it," she admitted as he squeezed her hand. "She was the best role model in my life, she always told me that it was silly to cry over things and yet she was always there to cuddle into my side with ice cream when I was upset, usually over a boy or something," Kate laughed as the writer smiled, taking in every new piece of information he gained from her. Getting information about her personal life and mainly her childhood from Kate normally was one of the most difficult things to do but this was amazing, hearing all her stories about her childhood made him adore her more than anything in the past. "She was the best mom I could have ever had, she treated me like an adult all the time, she never treated me like a child even when I was little," she declared, sighing to herself as she found the ring that was wrapped around her neck by the metal chain. "She loved my dad more than anything in the world, they were the most romantic couple I'd ever seen," she explained as Rick nodded. "He used to buy her flowers all the time, even if she had a nightmare case he would buy her these amazing flowers and make her dinner and treat her like she was the only woman in the world," she declared.

"They sound like they were really happy together Kate," Rick commented, looking across to see Alexis concentrating on her sandcastle still with a large smile covering her face while her red hair flew in the wind.

"They used to fight, they used to fight so much over nothing in particular but they never went to bed angry and their marriage always worked," she smiled, her fingers still playing with the ring as Rick continued to stare at her. "He was so broken when she died, he was so lost," she admitted, shutting her eyes again as Rick held her close, being careful not to hurt her damaged ribs as he pressed a kiss into her dark hair.

"Daddy I'm hungry," Alexis laughed, interrupting the two adults as she ran over and jumped up and down on the stop while Rick looked up to see her staring at him while she continued to move. "Are you going to make lunch now?" she moaned as Rick nodded and move his arms around Kate to lift her off the chair before standing and looking at her.

"Want to stay here?" he asked quietly as she shook her head and allowed him to carry her into the kitchen, the two of them smiling as Alexis grabbed a chair for Kate to sit on, the redhead knowing that Kate would want to be around them while Rick prepared their lunch. Seating Kate on the chair, Rick smiled as she leant up and kissed him quickly before watching as he lifted Alexis up onto the kitchen side. "What do my favourite women want for lunch today?" he questioned, a large smile covering his face as Kate shrugged.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

"What's going on?" Kate asked as Rick entered his office where Kate was resting on the couch with his book, a small smile covering her face as she looked across at him, her smile growing as he knelt down beside her and kissed her gently. "You and Alexis are planning something Mr Castle and I want to know what it is," she commented as he shrugged and leant in to kiss her again, knowing that he could distract her for at least another second when their lips were touching and she just let herself go. "I want to know what you've done," she smiled against his lips the moment they separated, a laugh leaving his lips while she continued to stare at him. "Tell me," she said quietly, her voice full of determination as he sighed and lifted her into his arms, her own arms wrapping tightly around his neck as he approached the living room and kicked the door open with his foot, shock covering Kate's face as she stared at the room. A bed was made in the middle of the room and there were candles everywhere. "What's going on?" Kate questioned.

"Well Alexis has gone to bed but she helped me move some of our stuff into here so we could have a romantic night in the living room, with the sea breeze coming into the room and well, we can watch some movies and cuddle and just enjoy ourselves and then tomorrow we can try and get you using the crutches," he declared, amazement covering her face as he relaxed her on the bed and moved to sit beside her as she laughed and felt his arms move around her. "I thought it was time that we had a normal night without revolving around someone's cast," he commented, a laugh leaving her lips as she nodded and stared down at the cast that was wrapped around her leg. "So movie night," he cheered while Kate smiled and watched him move towards the television before playing the movie and relaxing back to join her. "I remember when everyone used to think we were dating and we weren't," he laughed as she nodded and leant in to kiss him again.

"You're the best thing that's ever happened to me Richard Castle," she admitted quietly, knowing that he was amazed about her being honest. "You're my best friend, my boyfriend, the man who keeps me sane when I get hurt or obsessed with work," Kate admitted, kissing him gently as he held her close to him for a moment before looking across at the movie. "Are you ignoring me for a movie?" she asked.

"Never," he smiled, leaning down to kiss her again before running his fingers across her cheeks. "You always come first, after Alexis of course," he declared as she nodded.

"She's the only person who should mean the world to you Rick," she smiled, kissing her again before wrapping his arms around her and staring at her in amazement. "I really wish we could do more than this as well," she moaned, the writer laughing as he nodded in agreement and sighed, knowing that it would be a while before they could do anything more physical than kiss and hug. "I should have been more careful," she moaned.

"Kate, you were fine! It was an accident, there's no point beating yourself up about it," he declared, the brunette sighing as she moved so she could watch the television screen as well. Remaining silent as the movie continued to play, Rick watched as the onscreen couple finally kissed, the event the whole film had been working towards. Staring down at the brunette, Rick sighed to find her eyes shut and her breathing calm, a clear indicator that she was fast asleep already. Moving her slightly so she was sleeping a more comfortable position, Rick sighed as he brushed hair away from her face and smiled. This was it! She was it! He knew from just looking at her face and the peaceful look that decorated it.

This woman was it for him!


	29. Chapter 29

Limping towards Alexis' bedroom as she clung onto the crutches that were helping her walk, Kate sighed as she knocked on the wooden door before nudging into it and walking inside, amazed to find the little girl sobbing in the middle of the bed with the blanket pulled over her head. Approaching it silently, Kate quickly sat down on the edge of the bed before resting the crutches against the wall and moving her fingers towards the edge of the duvet before she grasped it and slowly pulled it away from Alexis' body. She'd woken up a few moments ago in need of a drink, only to hear Alexis sobbing down the corridor and her concern had overtaken her exhaustion, giving her the strength to make it to the other bedroom while Rick remained fast asleep.

"Sweetheart what's wrong?" Kate asked, watching as Alexis turned to reveal the red marks that had appeared on her face. "Oh god Lex," the brunette mumbled in shock, staring at her as Alexis sat up and continued to sob. "You're okay sweetheart; do you have them anywhere else?" Kate asked, attempting to sound calm as the little girl shrugged. How the hell hadn't they noticed her starting to get chicken pox? "Can you stand up for a second, just so I can check where else they are?" Kate said quietly, the redhead moving off the bed before standing and allowing Kate to lift up her pyjama top to reveal the red marks.

"They're itchy Katie," Alexis moaned as Kate nodded, remembering when she'd had the chicken pox and the amount of trouble she'd gotten from her mother for scratching the marks that had appeared mainly on her hips. "I'm not going to be spotty forever am I?" she asked as the brunette laughed, her head shaking as she pressed a kiss to Alexis' forehead before the little girl climbed onto the bed again and laid down beside the detective who turned to face her in silence, her fingers starting to play with strands of Alexis' hair.

"Of course not Lex, you'll be spotty for a little while and then you'll be back to normal and you'll never have to have it again, it's only something you get once," Kate promised, relaxing back beside the redhead as her hand clung onto Alexis', keeping her close for a moment as she cuddled into Kate's side. "I should put some cream on those, make them less itchy," the brunette said quietly as Alexis shook her head and shut her eyes, her face burying into Kate's t-shirt while the older woman pulled the blanket up over them, keeping them warm as she looked down at her boyfriend's daughter. "Or we can just get some sleep and we'll put cream on them in the morning," Kate smiled, holding her close as Alexis remained perfectly silent in her arms.

"Love you Katie," Alexis finally yawned after a few moments of silence as Kate's smile continued to grow. Alexis loved her! Alexis Castle actually loved her.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

"Oh wow, they're new," Rick declared in shock as he entered his daughter's room to see Kate sitting up with a book while Alexis had her head rested on Kate's thighs, the red marks on her face shocking him as he approached the bed. "Chicken pox?" he asked quietly as Kate nodded and looked down briefly at the girl who was currently using her as a pillow, her fingers brushing hair away from Alexis' face while he sat down in the only space left on the bed.

"Her whole face is covered and her chest and back, her arms are a bit as well! She's got it worse than I ever did," she declared quickly, listing all the marks that she'd remembered seeing when she'd looked at the little girl. "I didn't look at her legs or anything but she was pretty uncomfortable when I came in last night, it's a miracle she's asleep now actually," Kate admitted as Rick nodded and lent across to kiss Alexis' forehead while Kate remained silent. "And you have your meeting," Kate sighed as Rick nodded quietly, hating that Gina had got so angry that he'd 'run away' with his girlfriend and had abandoned his work that she'd decided to book a hotel and hold a meeting with him and Paula.

"I'm going to cancel, she needs me today. She gets clingy when she's sick, especially when she has something bad like this," Rick said quietly as Kate shook her head and ran her fingers across his cheek as he yawned, obviously still exhausted. "Katie," he began as she began to shake her head again.

"You need to get Gina to leave us alone Rick," Kate muttered as she leant across and kissed him. "Go to your meeting, I'll look after Alexis and then you can come home and look after us like I know you want too," she declared as he laughed and nodded, his lips pressing against the detective's forehead as she smiled. "I can't believe she booked into a hotel down here just so you could go to a meeting," the brunette moaned.

"I'm not surprised, if she doesn't get her chapter she becomes this monster. I can't believe I ever dated her," he admitted as Kate rolled her eyes and nodded, relaxing back against the headboard as Alexis moaned and began to move quietly, her eyes opening slowly as Rick smiled down at her for a moment. "Good morning leopard," Rick joked as Alexis shut her eyes again while Kate glared across at him, annoyed that he was making jokes about this! "Sweetheart I was joking, I'm sorry I wasn't thinking properly," the writer announced as her eyes slowly opened again. "How are you feeling pumpkin?"

"Itchy," Alexis moaned as Kate smiled and continued to look down at the small child who was curled up against her. "Are you going to your meeting today daddy?" the redhead asked quietly as Rick shut his eyes for a moment before shrugging. "You should go daddy, work's important," she declared as Kate smiled, knowing that Alexis was cleverer than most people believed, this little girl was going to be someone brilliant one day!

"I'll go to my meeting then Lex but just because you told me too," Rick declared before standing up and running his fingers through his hair while Alexis and Kate watched him. "I think I'm going to have a shower, I smell today," he declared as Alexis giggled lightly while Kate rolled her eyes, watching him walk out of the room before she looked down to see Alexis staring at her in silence.

"Let's get some cream on your spots," Kate declared, reaching across for one of the pots on the little girl's bedside table while Alexis removed her t-shirt quietly, the two of them completing the act in complete silence before Alexis relaxed back against Kate and shut her eyes, yawning when Kate began to tie back the redhead's hair. "They'll be gone soon, you just need to not itch them and relax for a while and then you'll be back to your normal cheerful self," Kate explained gently, listening as the shower continued to run in the room opposite them. If anyone had told her a year ago that she'd be curled in bed with a little girl with bad chicken pox while her famous boyfriend was showering in the other room, planning on leaving her alone for the day in the position of carer of his daughter, she would have told them that they were mad and yet here she was! Here she was, curled up with Alexis in a single bed while Rick prepared for his meeting in their bedroom.

"Katie," Alexis said quietly as the brunette nodded and looked at her. "Do you love my daddy?" the redhead asked as shock covered Kate's face. What had brought this on? "You kiss and cuddle and you act like people who are in love with each other so do you love my dad?" Alexis explained as Kate sighed and stared up at the ceiling for a moment, not knowing what to say to the little girl who was in her arms.

"Love isn't easy to explain sweetheart and it's something that grows over time. It's not a feeling that just appears overnight," Kate said simply as Alexis looked up at her in silence. "I'm not completely in love with your daddy sweetheart because all those feelings towards him are still growing, everything I feel about your daddy grows stronger every day and soon I'll probably be completely in love with him but right now I'm still getting to know him and getting to know you as well," Kate explained as Alexis nodded and moved so Kate's arms were wrapped tightly around her. "Does that answer your question?" Kate asked quickly as Alexis nodded and relaxed, the two of them falling silent when Rick entered the room and watched them quietly. "Are you going soon?" she questioned.

"I'm going now," he moaned, looking down at his watch briefly before looking across at them again.

"Try and have fun Rick. Don't be angry the whole way through your meeting because she's ruining your day," Kate declared, a groan leaving his lips as she laughed and reached up for his hand while attempting not to disturb the redhead who was now asleep against her again. "Call me when you're coming home, I'll order something for dinner," the brunette explained, leaning up to kiss him as he ran his fingers through her hair.

"Look after her, if she gets any worse or you feel like you can't cope on your own call me and I'll come home," he declared as she nodded again, knowing that he was panicking about leaving his little girl with her when she was sick.

"Go, we'll be okay for one day," Kate promised, kissing him again as he smiled, knowing that he needed to calm down and leave. "I mean how much trouble can we get in? I've got a broken leg and she has chicken pox, it'll take a lot of effort just to get out of bed today," she joked as he laughed and nodded, his hand cupping her cheek as she leant in to kiss him again, moaning into his mouth as he continued to deepen the kiss. "Stop, your daughter is asleep on my lap, no sexy kissing allowed," Kate smiled as he nodded and took a step away. "I'll see you later Rick," she declared as he nodded and leant down to kiss Alexis' forehead before slowly walking out of the room.

XOOXOXOXOOXOXXOXOXO

"She's fine Rick," Kate laughed down the phone as she looked briefly down at the little girl who was cuddled into her arms while watching the Disney movie that Kate had put on a few moments ago. "She's currently watching Sleeping Beauty and she's covered in cream but she's completely fine and nothing bad has happened so stop calling me," the detective declared as the writer sighed, realising that he was properly being dramatic in calling or texting her every five minutes to make sure his daughter was okay.

"I'm just worried Kate, Alexis is sick and you're injured and I should be there to look after you because you're my girlfriend and I love…" he began before falling silent, the brunette staring across the room in shock as they both remained perfectly silent. "Because I guess I love you Katherine Beckett and I feel like I should be there to take care of you and my daughter," he stated as she bit into her lip before smiling. "Still there?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm still here Rick, I'm still here," she said quietly, unable to stop herself from smiling as Rick breathed out and fell silent again. "Is Gina treating you okay? No cruel behaviour or anything I need to arrest her for," Kate smiled as Rick laughed and shook his head, relaxing back as he took in what his girlfriend had just said and also what he'd said early. "When will you be home?" Kate asked quietly as she looked down to see the redhead still completely focused on the movie that was playing.

"Later, I'll be home later," Rick said quietly as Kate nodded slowly. "And when I get home, we are having dinner and then when Alexis is fast asleep, I am taking all your clothes off and making out with you because you are my girlfriend and I love you and I miss seeing you completely naked in our bed," he declared as she laughed, her smile continuing to grow as she shut her eyes for a moment, unable to stop thinking about him kissing her later that night completely naked, telling her that he loved her as they make out. "Kate, I need to go," he moaned.

"I know Rick," she sighed as she ran her fingers through Alexis' hair and smiled when she looked up at her before burying her face into Kate's t-shirt before yawning and shutting her eyes. "I'll see you later Rick, we'll definitely be having some fun tonight after hours," Kate declared as the writer laughed and nodded.

"Good," he declared before they both said goodbye and put the phones down, the brunette moving her arms tightly around the redhead as she buried her face into Alexis' hair before shutting her eyes and smiling to herself. Richard Castle said he loved her!

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

"Honey I'm home," Rick called out, his voice full of laughter as he stepped into the house, noticing the flickering of light in the darkness in the direction of the living room as he smiled and approached it, trying to remain quiet as he pushed open the living room door and smiled at the sight in front of him. Kate was sat on the couch, candles covering the Chinese food decorated coffee table while the brunette smiled at him in his favourite shirt. "Now that's hot," he commented as she laughed and watched him approach her before leaning don to kiss her. "Alexis asleep?" he asked as she nodded.

"She had some food an hour ago but she was exhausted and although she wanted to stay up she fell asleep," she explained as he kissed her lips again before wrapping his arms tightly around her and reaching across for the food. "How was your meeting?" she asked quickly as she took her meal from him before pressing a kiss to his cheek and cuddling into his arms.

"A nightmare because it meant I wasn't here for you or Alexis today and I should have been," he admitted as she leant up and kissed him again, unable to stop herself as he moved her onto his lap, the brunette moaning when her cast hit the edge of the couch. "You okay?" he asked, noticing the moan as she nodded and smiled, kissing him again as he moved her meal back onto the table. "Eat later, make out now?" he asked as she nodded.

"Sounds perfect."


	30. Chapter 30

"You want to read the next bit?" Kate asked as Alexis sat in-between her legs, the redhead relaxing back against the older woman's chest, the little girl's head shaking as Kate smiled and began to read from the book she was holding, their smiles growing as they began to get more involved in the story they were reading together. Hearing the door creak open, Kate looked across to see the writer staring at them through the crack in the door, a large smile covering his face when he realised that she'd caught him looking. "Richard Castle, come here and read the next chapter to us," Kate ordered as Alexis giggled and watched her father sneak into the room before stealing the book and pressing a kiss to both Kate and Alexis' heads before sitting down in the chair beside them, giving the brunette the chance to relax back properly and for her fingers to play with Alexis' hair.

"This is an easy book for you two," Rick commented as he stared at the cover before looking across at the brunette and his daughter who both shrugged. "Don't you want something with a bit more drama and excitement?" he asked quickly as Kate smiled and looked at him.

"We just want something we both love," Kate smiled as Rick nodded and stared down at the copy of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory that they'd been reading moments before. "We want something from our childhoods," the brunette whispered, plaiting Alexis' hair gently as the redhead yawned and shut her eyes, remaining against Kate as Rick smiled at them. He loved the connection Kate and Alexis shared! He loved watching them together; he loved just watching them fall in love with each other. "You have lots of memories about this book don't you Lex?" Kate smiled as the redhead nodded, remaining perfectly silent and still in Kate's arms. "She was telling me all about how you used to read it to her when she was younger," the brunette admitted as Rick smiled at them.

"It was my favourite book when I was younger, mother used to read them to me. I remember she'd read them to me and do voices for all the characters," Rick admitted as he placed the bookmark into the book before closing it and resting it on the bedside table. "I wanted Alexis to experience the amazing books that I'd done when I was little so they were the first ones I read to her when I knew she would understand them," he declared, looking across at his sleeping daughter while Kate smiled and found his hand, squeezing it gently as he looked up at her in amazement. "What's your childhood memory?" he asked as she laughed.

"It was my dad's favourite book, he used to read it to me so much I almost knew it off by heart," she laughed. "We had this copy of the book that belonged to his mom and it was almost destroyed and yet we've never bought another copy of it," she declared, the writer smiling weakly as he noticed the look of sadness that covered her face. "This is the longest we've gone without reading it, I haven't even seen it since before mom died," she said quietly before shaking her head. "I'm tired," she admitted, the writer nodding as he leant across to kiss her gently.

"I need to go and do some errands, will you be alright?" he asked quickly as she nodded and smiled at him. "Call me if you need me, I'll come home immediately," he promised before standing and walking towards the door, turning around to see Kate's eyes now shut while her arms remained around Alexis. These were his girls.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

"Kate, Kate you need to wake up now. I have a surprise for you," Rick declared as he looked at the sleeping brunette who moaned and slowly opened her eyes and turned to look at the writer, a small smile covering her face as she looked down at the redhead who was fast asleep against her. "I have a surprise for you detective," he smiled as she touched her lips with her finger, the writer laughing before leaning down to kiss her. "Shut your eyes and wait until I tell you to open them," he smiled, the brunette nodding as she quickly shut them and laughed, hearing the writer move before footsteps entered the room again. "Open your eyes," Rick smiled as Kate quickly opened them and stared at her father who was stood beside the writer.

"Dad," Kate beamed, the older man nodding as she sat up, gently trying to keep Alexis comfortable without bumping her cast against anything. "Have they finally let you out?" she asked, Jim nodding again as he sat down beside his daughter before pressing a kiss to her forehead, his eyes quickly looking down to see the sleeping redhead who was resting against her with red spots covering her face. "This is Alexis with chicken pox," she admitted as the older man nodded again while Rick laughed gently, watching as his daughter stretched and slowly opened her eyes to look up at the two men who were looking at her.

"Katie there's a stranger in my bedroom," Alexis declared, the brunette laughing as she cuddled the little girl and shook her head.

"He's my daddy Lex," Kate whispered as Alexis quickly looked at the older man and smiled.

"Hello Mr Beckett, I've got chicken pox," Alexis greeted as Kate laughed and shook her head, unable to stop herself from smiling when the redhead as Jim looked down at the little girl again with a large smile covering his face. "I'm not normally spotty Mr Beckett," she added, Jim nodding as Kate laughed and pressed a kiss to Alexis' hair before the redhead moved and looked at Kate's leg, the older man quickly noticing it and looking up at his daughter.

"Katie…" he began as she smiled weakly.

"Had an accident at work," she said quietly, not wanting to panic her father who gently leant down and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Really stupid accident but I'm fine and it'll be coming off soon," Kate declared as Rick nodded and smiled at her. "Can I have a coffee?" Kate asked as he nodded, looking across at Alexis who climbed off the bed and walked towards him.

"Want to help me pumpkin?" Rick asked quickly as she nodded and followed her father out of the room before Jim Beckett slowly moved to sit down beside his daughter.

"I'm so happy that you're coming home," Kate admitted as the older man nodded and looked at her. "What do you think of Rick? Alexis? Alexis is so desperate for you to like her," the brunette smiled as Jim nodded and laughed at her gently.

"She's lovely Kate," Jim declared as Rick smiled. "She's so beautiful and she clearly loves you Katie, she really does love you," he admitted. "You've definitely have taken on the role of mommy to that little girl," he stated as Kate bit into her lip. "Come on, she's got chicken pox and she was sleeping in your arms and Rick couldn't help but talk about how amazing you are with her, how you sit and read to her and he was telling me how much his daughter loved my daughter," he declared, her smile growing as Alexis walked into the room and smiled at Jim again before climbing onto the bed and cuddling into Kate's arms. "So Alexis, I think you should call me Jim," he smiled as the redhead beamed and stared up at Kate, unable to stop herself from smiling as she stared at the family that had built around her!

**Short chapter but yeah, I liked it so hopefully you will. **

**Please review, I like to know that you're still enjoying the story and that you want more and also any ideas you might like to see happen. **


	31. Chapter 31

**You're going to hate me for this tiny chapter but I wanted a cliff hanger for this chapter to bring us into the next chapter and normally, if I write a cliff hanger I update quickly and I know I've been neglecting this story recently but I've had so much going on at the moment with coursework, revision and orthodontic nightmares! **

**Please review, it means so much to me to know that you're enjoying the story and depending on the amount of reviews, I hope to review by tomorrow to make up for my horrific updating ability. **

"Oh you weren't joking about the spots," Martha admitted as Rick carried his daughter into the loft while Kate followed on her crutches, her smile growing as the older redhead quickly wrapped her arms around the brunette before pressing a kiss to her cheek and moving away. "You look lovely Kate, a tan suits you," Martha commented as Kate blushed before looking across to see Rick resting a sleeping Alexis on the couch before walking over to his mother and girlfriend. "Doesn't she look beautiful with a tan Richard?" Martha asked as Kate rolled her eyes and watched as Rick wrapped an arm around Kate, the brunette resting against him to take the weight off her crutches.

"She looks beautiful all the time," Rick smiled as Kate laughed and gently pressed a kiss to his cheek before excusing herself and using her crutches to move to sit beside Alexis, the writer and actress watching in silence as Alexis sat up for a second and rested her head on Kate's lap before shutting her eyes again while Kate smiled weakly and began to gently run her fingers through the redhead's hair. "Are you going out tonight mother?" Rick asked, breaking the silence as he stared at the dress his mother was wearing and her perfected make up as she nodded and smiled at him for a moment before grabbing her jacket and pulling it on over her outfit. "Who are you terrifying tonight?"

"Just some students from my school, we're going to the theatre and then for drinks," Martha admitted as Rick nodded slowly, surprised when she gently pressed a kiss to his cheek. "It's nice to have you home, it's been unusually quiet without you Richard," the redhead admitted before looking across at Kate. "Have a nice evening darling, make sure that Richard treats you like a goddess," she called over as Kate nodded and waved at her gently before the redhead silently left the apartment, Rick rolling his eyes before he walked towards Kate and gently pressed a kiss into her dark hair before sighing when a knock at the door rang through the apartment.

"What's the likelihood that that's your mother?" Kate asked as Rick groaned and buried his face into Kate's hair while she laughed and looked down at a sleeping Alexis for a moment.

"She has keys if she needs to get into the apartment," Rick said quietly after the knocking stopped, the brunette smiling as Rick moved away from her hair before moving to sit on the arm of the couch, his smile growing as he looked down at his daughter. Hearing another knock at the door, Rick groaned as Kate smiled and watched him as he stood up for a moment before sitting down again. "She has keys, she'll get in somehow," he declared as Kate rolled her eyes, her focus quickly moving to Alexis who was fast asleep. "She loves you," Rick admitted.

"I love her too," Kate smiled, knowing that Alexis was part of their relationship and she couldn't love Rick without loving Alexis too. "She's so wonderful Rick, even with chicken pox," the brunette declared as Rick laughed and nodded, unable to stop himself from smiling at the affectionate way Kate ran her fingers through Alexis' hair while she started to hum.

"I hate seeing her ill like this, she's supposed to be running around and spending time with her friends," Rick admitted as Kate nodded slowly. "But chicken pox is one of those things she was going to get one day and at least she got it when she didn't have school because that would have been a whole other issue," he reasoned before the knocking at the door started again.

"You should let her in," Kate commented as Rick shook his head again, not wanting to ruin the peace of being back in his home with Kate by having to rescue his mother from the corridor.

"Richard I know you're in there," a voice that clearly didn't belong to Martha declared as confusion covered Kate's face. "Going to let me in kitten?" she asked, her question making Kate look up at her shocked boyfriend.

"Kitten?" Kate asked suspiciously, all smiles gone as he stood perfectly still.

**Dun, Dun, Dun! **

**Please review! **


	32. Chapter 32

"Go and put Alexis to bed, I'll let her in," Kate said quietly as shock covered the writer's face before he nodded and lifted the redhead into his arms before disappearing into his office and his own bedroom while Kate stood up and grabbed her crutches, hopping towards the door before unlocking it to see the familiar redhead standing in the doorway in a short figure hugging royal blue dress while three large cases rested by her heel covered feet. "Hello Meredith," she said, clearly not happy as the woman looked across at her and forced a large smile onto her face as she walked into the apartment without an invitation from the brunette. "Rick will be out in a second Meredith," she declared, shutting the door before hobbling towards the couch and sitting down, desperate to get off her leg before a hurt expression covered her face in front of Meredith. Hearing the office door creak open, Kate looked up to see Rick smiling at her before turning to look towards the kitchen where Meredith was already raiding the fridge.

"Do you have any bottled water?" she asked as Rick shook his head, the redhead groaning before she slammed the door shut and turned to look at her ex-husband. "So where's my beautiful little girl? I thought she'd come and see me the moment I arrived," she announced as Rick groaned, not surprised that Meredith hadn't learned from what she'd done in the past with forcing their daughter onto a plane to France without telling anyone and scaring her. "So where is she?" Meredith asked impatiently.

"In my bedroom," Rick said quietly before the redhead disappeared in the direction of the office while Kate glared across at her boyfriend. "What?" he asked, clearly stressed at the presence of his girlfriend who shook her head. "What have I done now? I'm just trying to keep everyone happy," he admitted as she nodded slowly before they both heard Alexis start crying from within the bedroom, the brunette grabbing her crutches quickly while Rick ran into the room, followed by the brunette to see Alexis sobbing in the bed, her whole body covered now by the duvet, while Meredith stood in horror at the end of the bed. "What did you do?" Rick asked as Kate sat down on the edge of the bed and ran her hand across the bump in the bed where Alexis was sobbing. "Out of the room," the writer ordered as Meredith quickly walked out while Rick looked across at Kate who nodded and forced a small smile onto his face before he disappeared.

"Alexis, are you going to come out from hiding?" Kate asked quietly as the redhead wriggled up the bed before her head popped out from underneath the cover, her face red and marked with the spots as she looked across at the detective. "What did your mom say to upset?" she asked quietly.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU SAID SHE LOOKED TERRIBLE MEREDITH?" Rick hollered from the corridor as Kate stared down at the redhead who buried her face into her side, clearly upset at her comment. "DON'T YOU HAVE A BRAIN? SHE'S GOT CHICKEN POX, SHE'S ALREADY UPSET ABOUT IT AND YOU'VE PROBABLY MADE IT WORSE," he announced, clearly furious at his ex-wife as they continued to shout at each other, getting louder with each insult as Kate laid down on the bed and reached across for her music player before passing it to Alexis so she could place the earphones in, the brunette putting on the little girls favourite song before holding her as she attempted to block out the shouting from outside of the room.

"I'm sorry baby, I'm sorry," Kate said quietly, even though she knew Alexis couldn't hear her.

XOOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Hobbling out of the bedroom on her crutches, Kate stared at her boyfriend and his ex-wife who were glaring across at each other, about to shout at each other again as she moved towards them before knocking a set of books onto the floor, a large bang ringing out through the room as Rick and Meredith moved further away from each other and stared at her.

"Sit down," Kate announced, neither of them moving as she glared at them. "Sit down now," Kate ordered as she stared at him for a moment before they sat down on two separate couches. "How dare you shout like that in front of your daughter?" Kate hissed as they both watched her in complete silence. "She's a little girl, she's sick and she feels terrible now because her mother told her she looked terrible and her father, instead of dealing with it calmly decided to have a screaming match right outside the bedroom door," Kate declared, determined not to raise her voice as the two of them looked down for a moment before looking up at her. "It's a miracle that that little girl is asleep right now," she admitted as Rick bit into his lip while Meredith remained perfectly silent. "You," Kate announced, looking across at her boyfriend who looked at her, clearly disappointed with himself as he remained perfectly silent. "Go in there, apologise to your daughter and give her a hug because she'll need you when she wakes up," she ordered, the writer nodding before he stood up and walked towards her.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"We'll talk about it later," Kate said quietly as he nodded and disappeared through his office towards his office. "Now, we need to talk," Kate declared, glaring across at the redhead who was watching her. "I thought we made it clear to you about coming near Alexis without warning," she stated as Meredith shrugged.

"I was in town and the last time I checked _detective_, she was my daughter, not yours," Meredith smirked as Kate remained perfectly silent, determined to not let this idiot of a woman get to her. "I have the right to see her, I gave birth to her."

"The last time I checked, Rick had full custody and while we wouldn't ever stop you seeing your daughter, he has the right to demand that you give us warning before you turn up and make Alexis upset," Kate declared as Meredith relaxed back. "Did you know how miserable she was when you took her to France? She was absolutely terrified and you didn't even seem to notice," Kate stated, her anger building up at the lack of sympathy that was covering Meredith's face when she told her how scared Alexis had been. "And today, do you know how long it's taken us to make Alexis feel okay about having chicken pox? That it wasn't ugly and would be gone soon and no one would see her as ugly or terrible because she was poorly," she stated as Meredith shrugged. "Alexis cares about what you think and you've made her terrified that people think she looks ugly, she was crying because of you. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"What do you care? She's not your daughter and you won't stick around," Meredith shrugged as Kate laughed.

"I don't think you realise how serious Rick and I are," she smiled. "We're going to move in together and one day we're going to get married and have a family and I tell you what, we're going to make Alexis feel loved because you clearly don't make her feel that so why don't you get out before you upset her again?" Kate announced as Meredith stood up and stared at her for a moment before grabbing her cases and storming out of the apartment, the writer reappearing as confusion covered his face.

"What's going on?" Rick asked.

"I asked Meredith to leave," Kate said simply before using her crutches to move towards the office. "Is she awake?" Kate asked protectively as Rick shook his head and looked at her for a moment. "You can be an idiot sometimes Richard Castle," the brunette admitted as he nodded and wrapped his arms around her for a moment, embarrassed about what he'd done earlier and how he'd upset his daughter. "Please don't shout like that again," she said quietly as she rested her head against his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, I was so angry at what she'd said," Rick admitted as Kate nodded, pressing a kiss into her hair for a moment as she cuddled into his arms before they fell silent. "You're so sexy when you're angry," he whispered as she laughed and rolled her eyes, enjoying the comfort of his arms as he kept her up right.

"Katie," a voice said quietly as the brunette turned to see the redhead standing in the doorway with a small smile on her face.

"Hey beautiful," Kate smiled as she moved away from the writer and watched as the little girl walked towards her and buried her face into her leg as Kate ran her fingers through his hair. "Feeling okay sweetheart?" she asked as the redhead nodded slowly and smiled up at her. "Want to cuddle on the couch?" the brunette smiled as Alexis moved towards the couch, Kate following her as Rick watched them in amazement, glad that Alexis had Kate in her life.

"Daddy can I ask you something?" Alexis questioned as Rick nodded and looked at her. "I need to ask you quietly," she moaned, the writer laughing as he knelt down beside the couch before she leant forward and whispered something in his ear, Rick smiling as he looked across at his girlfriend who was looking at him in confusion.

"I think you should ask her Alexis," Rick admitted when Alexis moved away from him and looked up at Kate before cuddling into her.

"Katie," Alexis said quietly.

"Yes baby girl," Kate smiled as she looked down at the little girl before smiling.

"Can you be my mommy?" Alexis asked as Kate stared at her for a moment. "You're already act like my mommy so could I call you mommy?" she questioned as Kate smiled before leaning down and gently pressing a kiss into her hair. "Can I Katie?" she asked as the brunette smiled and nodded as Alexis beamed.

"Of course you can baby girl," Kate declared, cuddling her into her side as Alexis shut her eyes while Rick smiled at his small family while Kate looked across at him in silence before leaning forward and kissing him.

"Love you mommy," Alexis mumbled as Kate looked across and smiled, amazed that she'd become mommy to this little girl.


	33. Chapter 33

"Daddy why are we shopping? We don't need anything," Alexis commented as Rick laughed and squeezed her hand gently. It had been a week since her chicken pox had completely disappeared, leaving only a small scar on her stomach, and Alexis was enjoying no longer looking spotty. "And why couldn't we bring mom?" the redhead questioned as Rick smiled, loving that Alexis was now calling Kate mom. It just felt right for Kate to have that parental title when she'd been more of a mother than Meredith ever had been or was clearly planning to be.

"Because she's at the gym trying to get her leg strong again," he smiled, remembering how angry his girlfriend had been when she'd entered the apartment without a cast on her leg but still one crutch, moaning because she couldn't go back to work yet as her leg needed to get stronger first. "And anyway, we're buying something for her today and she isn't allowed to know so you can't tell her," he declared as Alexis laughed and smiled up at her father.

"Daddy I always keep secrets, it's you who can't keep a secret," Alexis giggled as Rick remained silent for a moment before shrugging and leading his daughter into the jewellers. "Daddy, mom doesn't really wear jewellery," Alexis commented as Rick laughed and nodded, knowing that Kate barely wore jewellery because of her job except for her mother's ring which she wore most days. "Why are you buying it then?" she asked, clearly confused as Rick laughed and led her towards the rings, smiling when the redhead squealed. "You're going to ask her to marry you," she giggled as Rick nodded and knelt down beside his daughter. "Are you really going to ask her to marry you?"

"I think it's time Alexis for mom to become a proper Castle," he declared as Alexis nodded in excitement before briefly smiling at her father and looking back at the collection of rings in front of them. "Any you think she'll like?" the writer asked quietly as he looked over the selection, observing a couple that he thought that Kate might like and would also be practical for working at the precinct, even though he knew she probably wouldn't wear it on her finger while at work.

"I like that one," Alexis declared, pointing back at a silver ring with diamonds and emeralds buried within the metal instead of sitting on the surface. It was one of his choices and he couldn't help but be excited about Alexis choosing a ring he loved. "It's got emeralds, people say mom has emerald eyes," she commented as Rick nodded and smiled across at the shop assistant, a large smile covering his face as the woman slowly approached them.

"How can I help you sir?" the blonde asked as Rick nodded and pointed towards the ring he wanted, his smile growing as he watched the young woman remove the emerald ring from the collection before passing it to him. "What do you think sir?" she asked quickly as Rick knelt down beside Alexis, watching as she ran her fingers across it slowly before nodding.

"Do you want to look at any other ones pumpkin?" Rick questioned as Alexis shook her head and smiled down at the ring. "Are you sure? Sometimes it's better to look at a few more," the writer commented as Alexis shook her head again, still clinging onto the ring.

"Is it for someone special sweetheart?" the blonde asked as Alexis looked up at her and nodded.

"It's for my mommy, dad's finally going to ask her to marry her," the redhead explained as the woman beamed at her explanation. "I like this one daddy and it reminds me of mommy and it's good because it won't get in the way at work," she explained as Rick smiled and took the ring from her before passing it to the woman behind the counter in silence, trying to control his excitement as Alexis cuddled into his side.

"Congratulations sir, she's a lucky lady," the blonde smiled as Rick quickly paid for the ring before taking hold of it and placing the box into his pocket before he took hold of Alexis' hand and smiled, thanking the woman before he led Alexis out of the store.

"Fancy a hot chocolate?" he asked as the redhead nodded and smiled, laughing as her father quickly led her into a nearby café, the two of them sitting down at the back of the room after they'd placed their orders and collected their drinks.

"When are you going to ask her to marry you dad? How are you going to do? Are you going to make it really romantic?" she blurted out as Rick laughed and shrugged, knowing he hadn't got around to thinking about that yet. "Daddy tell me, tell me, tell me," the redhead practically squealed in excitement as Rick laughed and looked down at his drink for a moment.

"I think I'll do it quite small, maybe take her to dinner or something romantic pumpkin. Actually, I have an idea…" he admitted, staring down at his coffee as Alexis nodded. "And I'm not going to tell you because I know you tell your mom everything," he declared, watching the angry look that covered her face for a moment before she laughed and nodded, taking a sip of her hot chocolate quickly. "But I promise sweetheart, it'll be very romantic."

"You won't just ask her will you dad? Like you did with my real mom?" she asked quietly as he stared at her in shock and confusion. How did she know about his proposal to Meredith? She wasn't even born yet?

"Alexis Castle, where did you learn about that?" Rick questioned.

"Grams and mom told me all about it," the redhead shrugged as he stared at her. "Grams says it was a really silly proposal but she doesn't blame you because she knew that you and mommy weren't going to last," she quoted as Rick laughed, not surprised at his mother's comment. "She says you were making mommy breakfast because she was hungry because of me and you just asked her while giving her toast," she declared as Rick laughed at the memory before nodding. "Don't do that with mom, she deserves something special."

"I know pumpkin, I'm going to do it properly this time," he smiled before taking the ring out of his pocket and placing it on the table, staring at it in amazement as he thought about marrying Kate Beckett. Kate Beckett in white saying I do and planning to spend the rest of her life with him. Kate Beckett one day pregnant with their children, cradling their children! It just seemed too unreal; the idea that he could spend his life with Kate Beckett and this ring could be the one she wore forever! Hearing his phone ring, Rick smiled across at Alexis before grabbing it out of his jacket pocket and staring at the caller ID. "Hello my beautiful detective," Rick smiled as Alexis beamed at him. "We're actually just finishing our coffees, we'll be at the gym in fifteen minutes to come and collect you," he declared before saying goodbye and hanging up. "If you give Kate any clue," he warned, still smiling as Alexis laughed.

"You'll take away all my favourite books," Alexis recited as Rick nodded, knowing he'd never done it before and it would continue to be a threat because his daughter was too perfect to do anything needing punishment. "I won't tell her dad, just be careful you don't tell her before you ask her," the redhead giggled, earning a glare from her father before they both stood up and walked towards the exit.

XOXOOXXOXOXOXO

"You've had that smile on your face all day, what's going on Castle?" Kate asked as she entered his office to see him sat in his chair, a large smile covering his face as he looked across at her and shrugged, desperately trying to hide his smile. "Richard Castle, you're planning something and you're going to tell me," she declared, walking towards him before sitting herself on his desk, right in front of him as he stared at her. "Tell me," she smiled.

"I was wondering whether you'd join me for dinner tonight," he admitted as she nodded and smiled before leaning forward and kissing him. "I'll even let you balance on me so you don't have to use the crutch," he added as she laughed against his lips before brushing her fingers against his cheek as he watched her for a moment. "Wear something sexy," he whispered, laughing when she hit him gently before climbing off the table and staring down at her leg. "Wear anything you want, you look sexy in everything detective," he declared, her eyes rolling as she grabbed her crutch and slowly began to move towards the door, turning to look at him before shaking her head.

"You're one weird man Richard Castle," she commented before walking out of the room, his smile opening as he opened the desk drawer and stared at the ring box. He was going to ask Kate Beckett to marry him! It was really happening! "Oh and Castle, wear a tie, you know I love it when you wear a tie," Kate called out from the corridor as she disappeared from sight, the writer smiling as he reached across for the phone, knowing that he needed to organise everything for that evening.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

"You look really pretty mommy," Alexis smiled from the end of the bed as Kate walked out of the en-suite in a tight knee length black dress that hugged her figure and showed off some cleavage but not enough for it to be considered inappropriate. "Where are you going?" the redhead questioned as Kate laughed and turned to look at her, her smile growing as she leant down and pressed a kiss into her daughter's hair.

"I have no idea sweetheart but your dad seems quite happy about the whole idea so it'll probably be amazing," Kate explained as she walked over and grabbed the necklace with her mother's ring on, putting it on before her fingers began to play with the ring for a moment. "Are you going to be okay while we're out?" she asked.

"It's fine mom, grams is coming to look after me. We'll probably watch some musicals and I'll be in bed before nine o'clock," she declared as Kate smiled and knelt down, kissing her forehead as Alexis laughed.

"How did your father raise someone as fantastic as you?" Kate smiled before moving away. "I better go," she sighed, staring down at her father's watch for a moment before she felt Alexis take hold of her hand and follow her out of the master bedroom into the living room where Rick was pacing silently. "Pace anymore and you'll make a hole in the floor," she laughed as Rick stopped and turned to look at her, shock covering his face as he watched her for a moment, Alexis laughing as she ran over to her grandmother.

"Hello darling," Martha smiled, her arms wrapping tightly around the small girl before she looked across at Kate and Rick. "You two going to be out all night?" she asked as Rick shrugged and took hold of Kate's hand while the detective stared at him, desperate to know where they were going.

"Alexis has to be in bed by…" Rick began.

"Nine o'clock," Alexis shouted out.

"I was going to say ten because it's the weekend and well," he commented as Alexis shook her head and cuddled into her grandmother's side while Kate smiled at the young redhead. "Alexis needs to be in bed by the time she chooses mother," he stated as Alexis looked across at her father, smiling at the writer as he wrapped an arm slowly around Kate. "Ready to go?" he asked.

"I'm ready when you are Castle," Kate smiled before grabbing her jacket and pulling it on while Rick watched her in silence. "Come on writer boy, you're treating me to dinner," she declared, leaning up to kiss him as Alexis groaned. "One day you'll find a boy you like Miss Castle and then I'll make silly noises," Kate smiled as Alexis shook her head, her parents laughing before they said goodnight and walked out of the apartment together, Kate's arm wrapped tightly around Rick's in order to help her balance.

XOOXOXOXOXOOX

Approaching the restaurant, Rick stopped as he noticed the woman who'd just entered the busy building, his pause making Kate turn to look at him in confusion.

"Castle?" she asked quietly.

"I had a table booked and everything but Gina's in there and I really don't want her to see us tonight Kate, I want tonight to be special," Rick explained as Kate smiled and nodded, leaning up to kiss him because of the different in height. She wasn't able to wear heels yet so she was still wearing flat shoes until her leg was strong enough. "I know somewhere we can go, it won't be as formal," he began.

"I don't mind informal, I kind of like informal Rick," she smiled as she slowly undid his tie and the top button of his shirt, her smile growing as she stared at him for a moment. "Let's go," she whispered, her arm wrapping slowly around his as he began to lead her down the street, the smile growing on his face as he looked down at her to see her smile growing. "Castle why is tonight so special?" she asked as he shrugged.

"Our first proper night out without chicken pox or broken legs or anything like that to deal with," Rick stated as she nodded slowly and stopped when he did. "I used to come here to write," he said simply as Kate nodded and followed him into the Old Haunt, her smile growing as she stepped into the empty bar and watched as the writer approached the barman. Walking down the bar, Kate stopped at a booth at the sight of a certain picture.

"Castle, you were so cute when you were younger," she laughed as the writer rolled his eyes and smiled before shaking hands with the barman and walking towards the brunette. "Finished talking yet Castle or should I leave you two alone?" she asked quickly as Rick nodded and tightly wrapped his arms around her while staring at the image of himself.

"That was before Alexis was born, before my proper best sellers," he declared as Kate nodded and turned to face him, kissing her quickly before leading her slowly towards the basement.

"Castle, this is where you start to really confuse me," the brunette laughed, her smile growing as she stepped into the office and took the sight in. "How do you know about this?" she asked quietly as the writer bit into his lip. "Castle," she warned.

"I might own the bar actually," he whispered as shock covered her face. "They were going to develop it, make it more modern and I love it the way it is so I bought it and sometimes, when I'm really stuck, I come to write down here or in my booth when it's not too busy. It's actually where most of my best work is written," he admitted proudly, her smile growing as she sat down and took in the room. "Can I blindfold you for a moment?" he asked.

"Why?" she questioned.

"Please, I wanted tonight to be special and it's not going to be as special if we're just sat in an office," he declared as she shrugged.

"It's special to me because it's to do with you and the books I love Castle. I don't need an amazing restaurant Rick and expensive clothing," she commented as the writer breathed a sigh of relief. "What?" she asked as he sat down beside her and smiled before taking hold of her hand.

"I'm so glad you don't want an amazing restaurant because I've ordered Chinese," Rick explained as Kate laughed and nodded before kissing him gently.

"I guess I can let you blindfold me but don't try and do anything funny or I will shoot you Richard," she warned before shutting her eyes, feeling the material get tightly tied around her eyes before she listened silently to Rick's movements around her. "Castle, have you ever thought about having more children?" she asked.

"Why? Are you offering?" he smirked as she laughed. "I'm joking, it's something I've thought about but I'm not going to force you if you're not prepared to have children. I mean Alexis is already amazing and we both love her," he commented as Kate bit into her lip.

"I'd like to have more children one day, not now because well, we're not married and I'm not ready but one day, one day I'd love to have more kids. I think Alexis was made to be a sibling," she stated as Rick nodded and moved towards her, removing the tie before smiling as she slowly opened her eyes. "Rick," she said in shock, staring at the candles that now filled the office. "You keep candles here?" she asked.

"In case the power goes or something, there here for emergencies," he explained as she nodded and smiled at the decorative candles. "Slightly more romantic in here?" he asked.

"It's perfect Rick," she said quietly before grabbing his hand and pulling him down onto the couch beside her, a laugh leaving her lips as he tightly wrapped his arms around her. "You know I don't need expensive dinners and things for it to be romantic and special Rick," she said quietly as he nodded and kissed her gently. "I just need you and Alexis," she admitted.

"God you're perfect," Rick stated as she opened her mouth to speak before falling silent when there was a small knock and the barman entered the room with the Chinese. "Thanks," Rick announced as he stood up and took the bags from him before the man disappeared again, shutting the door behind him as Kate watched the writer unload all the bags before bringing her food towards her, Rick smiling as he watched her kick off her shoes and fold her legs underneath her body on the couch. "Chinese for my beautiful girl," he declared as Kate rolled her eyes and took the meal from him before watching him collect his own meal and join her on the couch. "This isn't how I imagined tonight," he admitted.

"But?" Kate asked.

"This is so much better than anything I could have planned," he laughed as the brunette nodded, taking a bit of her meal.

XOOXXOXOXOXOXOXO

Relaxing back on the couch gently, Rick smiled as Kate rested against him, their hands resting on her stomach as they both enjoyed the silence of the office. They could have done this at home but it felt special, it was them. This was them! Surrounded by his books and work, this basically described their relationship to perfection.

"Kate," Rick said quietly as he reached across for his jacket that was on the floor, his smile growing as he grabbed the ring box and looked down at the brunette who still had her eyes shut. "Kate, you have been the best friend I could have ever asked for, the best girlfriend a man could want and you've been the most amazing mother to my daughter when she desperately needed one," he said simply as the brunette opened her eyes and sat up, staring down at him as he held onto the box in front of her.

"Rick," she said quietly.

"Kate, you don't want me for my money or my fame. You're the first person I think in a long time whose wanted me for me rather than what I can offer," he declared as she bit into her lip, watching him in amazement as he sat up slowly and opened the box so it was still facing away from her. "Kate I want to spend the rest of my life with you, I want to be there when you continue to show the precinct how amazing you are and I want to congratulate you when you one day make Captain. I want to have children with you Kate, you were right! Alexis is meant to be a sibling and well I want to be a dad again and Kate, you're an amazing mother," he declared.

"Rick," she whispered again.

"Katherine Beckett, the most extraordinary woman I've ever met, will you make me and Alexis the happiest people around and marry me?" he asked as he lifted the ring out of the box to show it to her as she smiled to herself before nodding slowly. "Was that a yes?" he asked in shock.

"That was a yes Castle," she stated as he quickly took her hand and slid the ring onto her finger. "This is perfect," she declared, staring down at the ring as Rick breathed a sigh of relief.

"Alexis chose it, she's so excited," he declared before Kate kissed him and laughed.

"Let's go home and tell her," Kate said quietly as his eyebrows rose. "She's involved in this as much as you and me, I want her to know now," she declared, her excitement obvious as she stood up and put her shoes back on before pulling her jacket on over the dress. "Come on Castle, it's only gone ten, she might still be awake," she stated as the writer laughed.

"You know our daughter detective, she'd have been in bed for nine and she'll be fast asleep by now," Rick said simply, still pulling his jacket on before he snuck his arm around Kate and lead her out, glad that the candles had burnt down earlier.

XOXOXOXOXXOXOXO

Running up the stairs to Alexis' bedroom, Kate smiled as she heard Rick close behind her before she slowly opened the door to the redhead's bedroom to see the bump in the bed where Alexis was lying.

"Mommy is that you?" a tired voice asked as Kate smiled and slowly walked towards the bed, sitting on the edge as she turned the lamp on to see Alexis staring up at her while Rick approached. "Did daddy ask you?" she asked quietly as Kate nodded and held up her hand to reveal the engagement ring. "You said yes?"

"How could I say no when I'm absolutely in love with your dad and you Alexis Castle?" she declared before leaning down and pressing a kiss to the redhead's forehead. "I love you beautiful, get some sleep."

"Was it romantic daddy?" Alexis yawned as she shut her eyes, Kate turning to look at her fiancé who was standing at the end of the bed. "You didn't just ask did you?" she questioned.

"No Alexis, I think it was romantic," Rick stated as he glanced at Kate who quickly nodded.

"It was perfect Alexis, we'll see you in the morning pumpkin," Kate declared, moving out of the way to allow the writer to kiss his daughter before they slowly walked out of the bedroom, their arms wrapping around each other again. "Come on fiancé, I think it's time we went to bed," the brunette stated as Rick smiled.

"Now that sounds perfect."

**I decided to do a jump in time because I want to get on with the story and well, chicken pox and a broken leg only lasts for a certain amount of time. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and well, I have a feeling the story will come to an end soon, maybe in two or three chapter's time. **

**Anyway please review, I love hearing from you. **


	34. Chapter 34

"Alexis he only asked me two days ago, I don't really have a plan for the wedding yet," Kate laughed as she sat on the couch with Alexis on her lap, the two of them skimming through the wedding magazine that Kate had purchased earlier the day for a joke. Staring at one of the images in the magazine, Kate bit into her lip as she realised that this was really happening. "I'm getting married," the brunette said quietly as Alexis glanced up at her in amazement before nodding, Kate's arms cuddling around the young girl as she laughed to herself. "I'm actually getting married to your dad," Kate laughed in amazement as Alexis nodded and smiled in excitement, enjoying the fact that Kate was going to marry her father! It was like a dream come true to the young redhead!

"Have you told your daddy yet?" Alexis asked as Kate shook her head, knowing that they hadn't told anyone about the engagement except for their little girl. "Have you told anyone?" she questioned as Kate shook her head again. It was still so new to her, the whole idea of being engaged to Richard Castle and being practically the mother of the young redhead who was cuddled into her arms.

"You know daddy and I aren't telling anyone till dinner tonight Alexis," Kate smiled as the redhead nodded slowly. "And anyway, you were always going to be the first person who found out and we wanted to keep it between us for a little while pumpkin," Kate explained while Alexis relaxed back against her.

"When is daddy coming home?" the redhead questioned as Kate sighed and glanced down at her father's watch that now decorated her wrist.

"Another two hours sweetheart, Gina really isn't happy with him," Kate explained before she looked at the magazine and smiled at one of the bridesmaid dresses. "What dresses do you like pumpkin?" she asked as Alexis bit into her lip before pointing a plum coloured bridesmaid dress that Kate knew she was going to like. "So you'd like that one bridesmaid?" Kate asked as shock covered Alexis' face as she turned to look at Kate. "What?"

"You want me to be a bridesmaid?" she questioned as Kate nodded and cuddled her. "Really?" she said in disbelief.

"Of course I do, you're my daughter Alexis Castle," Kate declared, tightly wrapping her arms around the young girl while the redhead giggled lightly.

"I've never been one before," she admitted as Kate pressed a kiss into her hair.

"You'll be perfect sweetheart," Kate promised before they began to go through the magazine again, the two of them taking in the various pictures of dresses, roses and cakes that seemed to come in every colour and variety.

"We should do a list," Alexis suddenly cheered as Kate laughed, watching as the child jumped off her lap and ran off to find paper and pen while Kate shook her head. She was getting married. She was getting married to Richard Castle and she was going to be a proper member of this crazy and loving family! Hearing Alexis running towards her again, the brunette laughed when Alexis climbed onto her lap again and smiled up at her. "What's first?" she asked.

"A wedding dress," Kate stated as Alexis nodded and scribbling it down as Kate laughed and kissed her head again, loving the child's excitement at the whole marriage idea. "Bridesmaid dresses for you and Lanie," she listed, smiling when Alexis bit into her lip again before writing it down again, Kate watching her in amazement. "Suits for your daddy and whoever he chooses as his best man," Kate added.

"Flowers, we need flowers too. Really pretty flowers," Alexis cheered in excitement.

"We definitely need flowers and a venue," Kate laughed while Alexis began to concentrate on her list again. "A wedding cake too."

"Cake," Alexis giggled, Kate's head shaking in amusement before she heard the house phone start to scream.

"Can I get that?" she questioned as Alexis nodded, moving away to allow the brunette to move off the couch and grab the phone. "Hello?" Kate asked.

"Good morning fiancée," Rick's voice practically sang down the phone as Kate bit into her lip to stop herself from laughing. "I'll be home in fifteen minutes, thought I'd call to tell you and see how you were," Rick explained as she mouthed the word 'dad' to Alexis who nodded quickly and reread her list.

"We're good Rick, Alexis and I are writing a list on what we need for the wedding," Kate declared as the writer laughed. "I can't believe we're really getting married Rick," she admitted, her excitement obvious as she sat down beside Alexis and felt the redhead cuddle against her side. "I can't wait for you to get home."

"Neither can I Kate," Rick stated. "I'm going to help you cook dinner and we can discuss our wedding plans," he smirked as Kate rolled her eyes.

"We only got engaged two days ago," Kate announced, laughing at how excited they were.

"I know but Kate, we're getting married. This is forever Kate, the two of us married for the rest of our lives, we need to make sure that it's perfect," he explained as Kate nodded slowly. "I'll see you soon sexy," he stated before they both said goodbye to each other, Kate putting the phone down quickly before she looked across at Alexis.

"Daddy will be home soon," Kate smiled before she read over Alexis' list again. "Invitations," Kate whispered in Alexis' ear before the young girl looked up at her.

"How do I spell that?"

XOOXXOXOXOXOXO

"Hi dad come in," Kate smiled after opening the apartment door to find her father standing in the corridor, a large smile covering his face as he entered the busy home to find Martha talking with Alexis while Lanie, Esposito and Ryan stood laughing with Castle. "Dinner will be ready soon, feel free to help yourself to a drink, we've got loads of juices and stuff in the fridge," she explained as her father nodded and moved away while Rick approached her and wrapped his arms around his fiancée.

"I can't wait to tell everyone," he whispered in her ear as Kate nodded in agreement. "Alexis is so excited, I'm amazed she's kept it a secret this long," Rick admitted as Kate glanced across to see Alexis laughing with her grandmother who had now been joined by Jim Beckett. "Let's get dinner served and tell everyone the news," Rick declared, leading the brunette towards the kitchen as her smile continued to grow. This was real! She was actually getting married! "You nervous Kate?"

"No, I'm excited," Kate admitted before kissing him and reaching down to turn the oven off.

"You actually cooked?" Esposito asked in shock before Kate glared across at him. "No one's seen any hidden takeout cartons hidden anywhere?"

"Yes Esposito, I cooked," Kate stated as Rick began to carry the food towards the large prepared table.

"Mommy's a brilliant cook," Alexis cheered as she ran over and tightly wrapped her arms around Kate. "We don't get take out very often, only when mommy and daddy have had a really busy day," Alexis explained as Javier nodded slowly and moved towards the table while Kate carried the rest of the food over, laughing when everyone quickly sat down and began to serve themselves. "Mommy are you going to tell them yet?" the redhead asked after a moment causing Kate to glanced across at the writer.

"Tell us what?" Jim asked, nervously looking over at his daughter who was holding onto Rick's hand tightly.

"Oh my god you're pregnant," Martha blurted out as shock covered Kate's face.

"No, I'm not pregnant. I am definitely not pregnant," Kate immediately responded as the older woman sighed. "But we do have something to tell you," she admitted before Rick squeezed her hand. "Rick asked me to marry him."

"And she said yes," Rick beamed as everyone began to cheer, a laugh leaving Kate's lips when Rick leant across and kissed her.

"Not at the table," Javier moaned, earning a punch in the shoulder from Lanie who quickly shook her head at him.

"Congratulations darlings," Martha almost shouted as she got up and quickly ran over to hug her son and future daughter in law while Jim continued to smile at his daughter in amazement.

"Congratulations Katie, Rick," Jim announced as Kate glanced across at him for a moment, glad to see that he was happy about the news.

"I can't believe you're getting married," Lanie squealed as Javier shook his head at the loud noise, Kate laughing as Alexis ran over to the medical student.

"We're going to be bridesmaids Lanie," Alexis told her as shock covered Lanie's face.

"Who else would I ask?" Kate smiled as Lanie squealed again in excitement. "Of course you're going to be my bridesmaid with Alexis."

"Woman will you please stop with the squealing," Javier moaned, earning a glare from his girlfriend before she smiled at Kate again. "Congratulations you two," he quickly smiled as Kate cuddled into Rick's side for a moment, unable to stop herself from laughing as Rick pressed a kiss into her hair.

"Katherine Houghton Castle," Rick whispered as she glanced up at him. "Mrs Castle," he stated as she bit into her lip in excitement.

"Mr Castle," she replied before leaning up and kissing him gently while everyone shook their heads at them.

"Darlings, can we please stop with the kissing at the dinner table?" Martha asked as Jim nodded in agreement, the couple slowly moving away from each other in amusement before returning to their food. "To Kate and Rick," Martha smiled, holding up her drink as everyone around her did the same while smiling at the couple who were still looking at each other.

"To Kate and Rick," everyone cheered as Kate's fingers laced with Rick's underneath the table.

"To us," Rick smiled, moving to lean down and kiss her again before Kate shook her head at him.

"Not at the dinner table."

**I'm trying desperately to get this story finished before the summer and I'm sorry it's taken me so long to update. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and continue to enjoy the story. I will have longer chapters soon but I don't think this story has many chapters left but hopefully there are people still interested. **


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